The Golden Swan
by cocoalover1956
Summary: Emma Swan, another lonely brown girl with seemingly no past or future, gets the shock of her life when a boy comes to her door claiming to be the baby she placed for adoption 10 years ago. Except she never gave a baby up for adoption. Canon rewrite. WIP. Updates on the 1st of the month. Snowing, CS, Rumbelle, Sleeping Warrior, OCs. Formerly "Like the Soul of the Poet"
1. Once Upon A Time

Emma's high-heeled boots clicked against the hospital tiles as she searched for her client's room. The nurse's instructions had been clear enough, but the hallways made no sense. After fifteen minutes of wandering, she finally found it.

When she knocked, a middle-aged white man answered. "Hello?"

"Hi, I'm Emma Swan. I think your wife hired me…to find your daughter's birth parents."

"Ah," the man, who could only be Mr. Richmond, sighed, "Right." His eyes tightened in anger, but he let her in. A teenaged girl – Felicity – lay on a hospital surrounded by textbooks and binders. Her mother sat next to the window, staring at some paperwork. "That…private investigator is here." He glared at his wife, whose head snapped up at once.

Martha Richmond had grown paler and thinner, like she was made of wet tissue paper, since Emma had last met with her in person. "Thank god you're here. You've met Felicity. This is my husband, Stephen."

"Nice to meet to you." Emma told Mr. Richmond. He gave her a stiff nod.

"Hi, Miss Swan." Felicity waved. If her mother looked thin, Felicity looked skeletal. Her golden-brown skin had lost its glow and dark circles underlined her eyes. Despite this, she wore a genuine, slightly timid smile.

"Hey, kid? How've you been?"

Mr. Richmond cut in, "She has cancer. How do you _think_ she's doing?"

"Stephan!" Mrs. Richmond got to her feet.

"No, don't you 'Stephan' me." He barked, "You're the one who wanted to waste our time and money on this –" He gestured to Emma, unsure how to finish his sentence. Pale blue veins stood out against his alabaster skin.

"Finding a donor for our daughter is _not_ a waste." Mrs. Richmond replied, her voice low and brittle.

Mr. Richmond moved his hard eyes from his wife to Emma. "And have you actually found anything?" He demanded.

Emma pulled a manila envelope out of her bag, "I have. Felicity's birth mother was a woman named Anza Montoya. She passed away a few years ago. Diabetes. But she came from a big family and had three other children, so there's a good chance someone is a match. The birth father is named Roberto Alvarez. I haven't been able to track him down, yet. He has a sister, but they weren't on speaking terms, so I'm not sure if she'll want to help."

"My birth mother's dead?" Felicity's lip trembled, "I assumed… So, I have half-siblings?"

"Full-blooded, mostly likely." Emma explained, "You're birth parents never got married, but from what I can tell they had an on-off relationship for many years. You're the youngest."

Felicity flinched as if Emma had slapped her, "Youngest?! You mean they had three kids together but when I came along, they just threw me away?"

Emma felt a pang somewhere deep in her chest. She walked over to Felicity and sat on the side of the bed. "Your birth parents did not throw you away. They placed you for adoption because they couldn't afford to raise another child and wanted you to have a good life."

Avoiding Emma's eyes, Felicity shook her head and muttered, "That's bullshit." Small tears welled up in her large brown eyes.

"Hey, language!" Mr. Richmond scolded his daughter. "I knew this was a bad idea."

"Bad idea?" Mrs. Richmond let out a shaky breath, "Stephen, we have potential donors. She can have the operation now. She can get better."

" _If_ – and it's a big if – those people care enough to help." Mr. Richmond countered.

"Why wouldn't they? To them, she's fam—"

"Don't." Mr. Richmond glowered at his wife, "Don't you dare. They are not her family, they're strangers."

"Really, Stephan? That's what this is about?"

"We don't know anything about those people. They could be gangbangers or drug addicts for all we know."

'Typical,' Emma repressed a scowl. 'Just assume the Latinos are criminals.' She hoped Felicity didn't have to hear this crap on a regular basis.

"Or they could just be nice, regular people." Emma chimed in. She handed Mrs. Richmond the envelope. "This is everything I've found: names, dates, phone numbers, addresses. Please, feel free to call if you need anything else."

She turned to Felicity, not sure what to say. Emma knew a lot about abandonment. She had been found on the side of a highway as a baby with only a blanket that had her name on it. She got adopted right away, but her adoptive parents decided they didn't want her anymore after three years. Then she spent the next thirteen years moving between foster homes, group homes, and psychiatric wards. She almost wanted to say, "I know this is hard, but you can always talk to me," but what kind of advice could she possibly give? She was a mess.

"I hope you feel better." Emma croaked, then fled the room.

* * *

After pausing at a small bakery to buy herself a birthday cupcake, Emma retreated to the comfortable familiarity of her apartment. An elegant manuscript covered the front door and inside the rooms were large, white, and bare. Half her belongings were still in boxes, even though she had lived here for almost eight months.

She placed the cupcake on the kitchen island and fished through the cabinets for a candle and lighter. She chose the blue star-shaped candle, lit it, and closed her eyes.

 _I wish I didn't have to be alone_

The instant she blew out the candle, someone knocked on the door. 'Who the hell is that?'

Emma walked up the front door and threw it open. A fair-skinned, dark-haired and brown-eyed little boy stood at the door, sporting a large grin. "Can I help you?" she asked, wondering where his parents were.

"Are you Emma Swan?"

"Yeah? Who are you?"

"I'm Henry, your son." The boy ducked into her apartment before she had the chance to respond.

Emma spun around, "Hey, wait. I don't have a son."

"Ten year ago, did you give a baby boy up for adoption?"

"No." Emma's answer came as swift and blunt as a bullet. She felt that familiar pang in her chest watching his confident smile shatter. She had run into plenty of dead-ends herself, back when she still cared about finding her birth parents. Part of her wanted to wrap him up in blanket and give him some hot chocolate.

He blinked in confusion. "A-are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I would know if I placed a baby for adoption." Emma gave him a sympathetic smile, "I'm sorry that wasn't the answer you were looking for."

"But it _has_ to be you." Henry insisted, his voice rising an octave, "That's the only way any of this makes sense."

"And what exactly is 'this', kid?" Emma asked.

She wondered why he seemed so sure that she was his mother when they looked nothing alike. Emma assumed he was white and she herself clearly wasn't. Emma didn't know her racial or ethnic background; only that she had tawny skin, dark brown eyes, and curly black hair that she'd been dying blonde for the last two years. People guessed she was anything from black to Native American to Arab to Filipina, but she honesty didn't have the slightest clue where she came from.

"It's hard to explain. I don't think you're ready to hear the whole truth, not yet alt least."

'Are you serious?' Emma scoffed, "Whatever kid. Just let me call your parents so they can pick you up."

Henry considered this for a moment before stating, "No. You have to come home with me."

"Why do you want me to drop you off?"

"You wouldn't be dropping me off," Henry explained, "You'd be coming home with me, so I can show you what's wrong and then you can fix everything."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen." Emma put her hands on her hips and lean back against the kitchen island. "Would you prefer if I call the police?"

Henry didn't miss a beat, "Then I'll tell them you kidnapped me."

"And let me guess, you'll tell them I'm your birth mother and they'll believe you?" Emma moved closer to him, "You're not going to do that. I can always tell when people are lying to me."

His shoulders slumped. "Please," he begged in a small voice, "Come home with me."

Studying him more closely, Emma noticed that he did look a bit familiar: he looked like Neal. Once the thought entered her brain, it wouldn't leave and her head spun with the possibilities. He would have been conceived around the same time she and Neal were together, give or take a few months. It wouldn't surprise her if he had cheated on her. Maybe his birth mother had been another one of Neal's girlfriends and through some mix up, Henry thought that was Emma. The thought bubbled in her stomach like too-sweet caramel, making her want to curl into a ball on the floor.

Emma brought herself back to reality. Neal had a common face. Maybe she was just seeing things. Or maybe it was just a coincidence that this kid looked like her ex-boyfriend. In any case, it wasn't her business where this kid came from, only that she got him home safely. She had to admit, she sort of felt sorry for this kid. "Okay. Where's home?"

* * *

Maine. The kid had taken a bus to Boston all the way from freaking _Maine_.

"What you were thinking?" Emma scolded him when they were in the car, driving north on the interstate. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to travel this far by yourself?"

"I wasn't scared." Henry insisted.

Emma shook her head, "That's not the point. God, your parents must be worried sick."

"Doubt it." Henry grumbled.

A red flag immediately went up in Emma's head. "Why?"

"Well, it's just me and mom - my adopted mom, that is - and she doesn't love me. She just pretends to." Henry answered, chewing the corner of his lip in anger.

She didn't know how to respond. When she was younger, she had tried multiple times to run away from the foster homes she's put stuck in and finally got out for good when she was sixteen. But an adopted kid – a kid with a family – didn't have much reason to run away unless things were really screwed up at home. He had said he expected her to fix things…

'No,' she told herself, 'You're probably overthinking things. Maybe he's just being dramatic. It's not like you're an expert on families anyway.'

Desperate to change the subject, Emma glanced over at Henry and noticed for the first time a large brown book resting in his lap. "What's that?" The words "Once Upon a Time" were embossed on the front cover in gold. "Fairy tales?"

"They're not just fairy tales," Henry gauged her reaction, "Everything in this book is real. It all actually happened."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Fairy tales aren't real kid." He seemed a little too old to believe in that stuff.

"Yes, they are." Henry insisted. "Maybe you're not ready to believe, but you will be."

A couple of hours later, they passed the sign that read "Welcome to Storybrooke". The small, quaint town sat in the middle of a large, dense forest bordered on one side by the Atlantic Ocean. Small shops and an inn dotted Main Street, as well neat houses with evenly cut lawns and white-picket fences. It had the typical small-town charm, but Emma sensed something off about this place.

"Okay, what's your address?" Emma stopped the car in the middle of the empty street and turned to Henry.

"44 Not Telling You Street." He hopped out of the car.

"Hey," Emma got out after him, "Come on, kid, it's late. It's…." she looked at the clock-tower looming in the distance. "8:15?"

"That clock doesn't work. It's been broken for as long as I can remember. That's because time's frozen here. Nobody ages expect me."

"This isn't a game Henry. I have get you back to your mom."

"But _you're_ my mom. The Evil Queen put a curse on the whole town and when you vanquish her, we can be a family."

A lump formed in Emma's throat. A lot of people had said they wanted to be a family with her. "I'm not your mom, kid. I never was and I never will be. Now stop being difficult and just let me take you home."

"Is there a problem here?" a young woman asked.

Emma looked up at her. A woman walking her dog, a small collie, approached them. Everything about her was pale; from her beige coat and eggshell white dress to her alabaster skin and short platinum blonde hair. Only her eyes held any color, a deep green like forest leaves.

"Hi Miss Blanchard." Henry smiled widely at the woman and then at Emma. "This is my—"

"Emma." She cut in, "Emma Swan. I'm just giving him a ride home. As soon as I figure out where that is, exactly."

"Mary Blanchard." She extended her hand and Emma accepted it. "Thanks so much for finding Henry. The whole town's been worried sick."

"He sort of found me, actually." Emma admitted.

Miss Blanchard studied Emma closely, "Have we met before? You seem familiar."

"No, I don't think so." Emma answered.

"Anyway, he and his mother live at 108 Mifflin Street. The mayor's house is the big white one. You can't miss it."

"Thank you, Miss Blanchard." Emma sighed, relieved that her odd night was almost over.

"Mary." She insisted, "It's nothing. Have a nice night. C'mon Wilby."

"You too," Emma called as she watched Mary walk away. "Let's go Henry."

"That's my teacher. She's Snow White, but she doesn't know it yet. She used to have long black hair, but the Evil Queen cut it all off and changed the color. I can still tell it's her because she has seven birds, like the seven dwarfs." Henry stated. "And she's your mother."

Emma suppressed an amused smile, wondering why such bizarre things kept coming out of his mouth. That woman couldn't have been more than a couple of years older than her. Between that and the fairy tale thing and his belief that she was his birth mother, she began to wonder how he ended up with such an overactive imagination. She'd been serious and practical even as a child; growing up in foster care didn't leave room for much else. It must be nice being able to come up with fantastic stories like that, though she worried about Henry sense of reality.

The mayor's house was just where Mary had said it would be, imposing and elegant.

"Please don't make me go back there." Henry pleaded as Emma dragged him up the front walkway. "She doesn't love me!"

Emma stopped and knelt to face him, "Look, kid, I'm sure that's not true. It might feel that way, but—"

"Henry? Henry!" a woman came bursting out of the front door. A tall pale-skinned man with a police badge pinned to his vest followed her.

Emma froze as the woman, the mayor, grabbed Henry and threw her arms around him. She then looked him over, searching for injuries.

"Oh, thank god you're all right. Where were you?"

"I found my real mom!" Henry declared. He wrestled himself out of his mother's grasp and ran into the house.

For the first time, the mayor seemed to realize Emma was there. Her eyes widened in horror and bewilderment. "What the hell? How are you here?"

Emma glanced between her and the police officer, nervous about what he would do. "Hi," she squeaked, "I…. he just showed up at my apartment earlier and I gave him a ride home. I'm not his birth mother. I mean, I don't even look like him, do I? Sorry, I really don't know what's going on."

The mayor took a deep breath and regained her composure, though Emma could see a smidge of panic remain in her eyes. "Oh? Okay. Would you like to come in for a glass of apple cider?"

"Got anything stronger?" Emma shrugged.

"I'll go check on Henry." The officer offered. Emma felt the knot of unease in her belly loosen as he walked back into the house.

Inside, the mayor sat her on one of the plush couch and poured her a drink. "My name's Regina Mills, by the way."

Regina was in her late forties or early fifties, Emma guessed. Her grey dress looked a little fancy to wear around the house and she still wore a full face of make-up despite the late hour. In addition to brown eyes and silky salt-and-pepper hair, she had a small scar on her upper-lip. Something about her gave Emma the urge to run away, but she couldn't tell what.

"Emma Swan. It's nice to meet you." She felt awkward sitting in Regina's expensive, sophisticated house in her red leather jacket, jeans, and scuffed brown boots.

"So, did Henry mention why he ran off?"

Emma took a sip. "Well, he seems to think I'm his birth mother, obviously. But I've never placed a child for adoption."

Regina sat down in a wingback chair across from her. She looked more relaxed. "You don't have any kids?"

"No."

"Well, then I guess you can't imagine how difficult parenthood is." Her tone was condescending.

"I guess not." Emma kept her eyes on her drink to keep from glaring at Regina. She'd almost been parent once, a long time ago.

"Do you have a job?"

Emma muttered, "I keep busy."

"Well imagine that on top of being a single parent. Am I strict? Do I demand order? Of course, but only because I want the best for my son. You don't think that makes me evil, do you?"

"Of course not." Emma replied. She didn't understand the point of that little speech and honestly just wanted to get out of there.

"I don't know why he'd possibly want to find the woman who gave him away." Regina continued, unconcerned with Emma's clear discomfort, "I adopted him when he was three weeks old and I've given him everything he could possibly want. More than that woman ever could have, for sure."

 _Lie_.

But Emma couldn't which part was the lie. She could mention that she had some insight into being adopted and feeling abandoned, but she's didn't want to be in Regina's presence a moment longer than she had to. Instead, she supplied, "Kid's probably just having a rough time. I have to admit, he's pretty odd."

Regina glanced up at the staircase that led to the second floor before returning her gaze to Emma, "Odd how?"

"Like, how he thinks fairy tales are real and his teacher is Snow White. And that you're the Evil Queen from the story."

The panic returned the mayor's eyes. "Does he?"

"Yeah, he's been saying weird stuff like that all night."

Regina's face grew stiff, "It's think it's time you left Miss Swan."

"You're right, it is getting pretty late." Emma set down her glass and stood to leave.

Footsteps came down the stairs, "Madam Mayor, apart from being a tired little boy, Henry's all right. I just put him to bed."

"Thank Sheriff Humbert." Regina nodded at him.

Humbert looked at Emma, "And you are?"

"Leaving." Regina interrupted.

Emma glared at her, then turned back to the sheriff, "I'm Emma Swan."

"I'm Graham." His smile was a little too fond for a first meeting.

After a moment's pause, Emma forced herself to smile back and said, "It was nice to meet you both, but I should get going." And she was out the door.

As Emma strolled down the Mills walkway, she looked up at one of the upstairs windows and could have sworn she saw Henry looking down at her.


	2. Staying

Emma first noticed that her head hurt, then that she was lying on stiff bed with scratchy sheets. She gave a shuddering breath as she remembered the crash: she's found Henry's book sitting the front seat. In the split second she'd been distracted, a wolf with glowing red eyes had leapt in the path of her car and she had swerved to avoid it. She didn't know what happened after, but she deduced that she must have been in the hospital.

The faint hum of a machine buzzed in her ears, almost drowning out faint footsteps a few feet away. Emma's eyes creaked open, though the sleep dust was nearly thick enough to keep her eyelashes glued together.

"Welcome back." a soft voice greeted her. Next to her, in front of a large window, a woman slouched in a small plastic chair. Her soft umber skin and crown of black curls glowed in the morning sunlight, contrasted by sharp ice-blue eyes that didn't seem to fit the gentle curves of her face. "You were asleep a long time."

Emma rubbed her eyes, "Uh, who are you?"

"Priscilla Jefferson. I found you near the town line after your accident." She got up and handed Emma a bottle of water.

"Wow, thank you." She accepted the bottle, grateful that someone had stayed with her all night but suspicious as to why anyone would bother. "You didn't have to stay here." Emma chuckled to deflect her lingering nervousness. Last night's events had thrown her off.

"Someone had to." Priscilla shrugged, "I'll let the nurse know you're awake."

After a lengthy round of examinations, the hospital staff concluded that Emma was fit to leave. Priscilla had been shooed out of the room by the nurses, but Emma found her in the lobby as she waited for her discharge papers.

"Hey, you're still here." Emma noted.

"Yes, but the real question is: how are you here?" Priscilla folded her arms across her chest, head tilted to the side.

Emma raised an eyebrow, "I drove here last night to drop off the mayor's kid. Why?"

"And?" Priscilla pushed.

"And I got into an accident. What else do you want me to say?"

Frustrated, Priscilla shook her head, "Okay, this clearly isn't going to work. Just don't leave town until I figure out what's going on." Priscilla turned on her heel and marched out of the hospital.

Emma gaped. Had she somehow wandered into another universe?

Just as Emma received her papers and a recommendation to take things easy, Regina Mills stomped into the hospital lobby. When she saw Emma standing by the counter, her eyes lit up with rage.

"Where the hell is my son?! What have you done with him?" She demanded, stalking toward Emma like a lion toward a deer.

Emma held up the discharge papers, "I've haven't seen him since I left your place and I've got a pretty good alibi."

The nurse at the front desk chimed in, "He hasn't been here Madam Mayor. Sorry."

Regina took a deep breath, "Then I guess this trip was a waste of my time."

"If Henry's missing," Emma said, "I could help you look for him."

"You'll be no such thing." Regina snapped, "He's my son, not yours. Your only responsibility to get out of my town and back to your...whatever it is you do, as quickly as possible. Understood?"

Emma frowned, "No, not understood. Why would you turn down help to find your child?"

"I don't have time for this. You've overstayed your welcome and I need to find my son." Without another word, Regina stormed out of the hospital.

For a minute, Emma debated whether she ought to leave, but she didn't feel okay knowing Henry might be in trouble. She glanced at a clock mounted at a wall behind the front desk. 2:30.

"Hey," she asked the receptionist, "do you know how I can get to the elementary school?"

* * *

Students rushed to escape the classroom as soon as the bell rang. Mary sighed and watched as her students shoved notebooks and pencils in their bags, some not even zipping their bags before run out of the room. As they started racing each other to the bus, the woman Henry had been with the night before stumbled into the room.

"Mary Blanchard, right?"

"Yes," Mary blinked, not sure how this woman, "Emma, right?" had found her classroom.

As if reading her mind, Emma explained, "Henry mentioned you were a teacher, so I asked the front desk where you were. I'm sorry to barge in, but I need your help. Henry's missing."

"Missing? I thought he was home sick."

Emma shook her head, "I ran into his mom earlier and she was frantic looking for him. Do you have any idea where he could be?"

"Do you think he ran off again?"

"I don't know." Emma replied, "That's why I'm asking you. I mean, I didn't know who else to turn to."

Mary debated whether she should tell Emma, this virtual stranger, about Henry's castle. It was his favorite place, the one place his mother didn't know about.

She remembered the first time she'd taken him there, when he'd been only five years old. Back then Henry was terribly afraid of seagulls and every trip to the beach fill him with dread. Regina had been so annoyed that her son feared harmless birds. She scolded him for crying whenever they came near. One day, while Regina was at a town counsel meeting, Mary found Henry wandering near the beach, not getting too close.

"I like looking at the water," he had confessed, "but I don't like it when the seagulls bother me. They're everywhere!"

"No everywhere." Mary led him to a small coastal hill a little on the south side of town, where nobody ever came. Not even seagulls. Years ago someone had built a wooden play castle, but years of disrepair had left in a sorry state.

Henry loved it anyway.

Mary pulled herself out of the memory. She had a boatload of papers to grade and Emma still waited for an answer. If Henry was in trouble, that was worth letting the secret out, wasn't it?

* * *

She found Henry sitting on the castle like Mary said he might be, staring out into the distance. He seemed too young to brood. "There you are," she panted as she ran up to him, his book tucked under her arm. She climbed the castle and as she sat down next to him, returned his book. This part of the beach was quiet and lonely, but it had a lovely view of the ocean. She could see why he liked it.

"You stayed?" Henry perked up.

"Well, your mom said you were missing and I thought I'd help find you. You teacher told me you might be here." Emma explained, "So what's up with you and your mom?"

"This isn't about her." Henry claimed, but Emma sensed it was. If he didn't want to talk about it, she couldn't force him to.

"I'm leaving after I take you home. For good this time. And you better not stow away in my car or something. Try to cut your mom some slack, okay?"

He huffed.

Emma rolled her eyes, "I get it, she's hard to deal with, but running away all the time isn't the answer."

"She's not just 'hard to deal with', she cursed the entire town, including your parents. That's why they had to give you up. My book says you're the Savior; you're gonna brings back all the happy endings."

"Will you please cut it with the book crap?" Emma snapped, "It's just a story, okay. I'm not in any book."

"You don't have to push me away. I can tell you like me." Henry gave his best puppy-dog eyes.

Emma smiled morosely. Getting close to people never did her much good and this kid was doing a seriously good job of under her armor. She felt responsible for him, no matter how little sense that made.

She hopped off the play castle. "Okay, I like you." Emma admitted, "But now I have to get you back to your mom and you have to promise me you won't run off again. You're scaring her."

"You don't know what it's like with her!" Henry followed suit. His face flushed pink with anger, "My life sucks!"

"You wanna know what life sucking is?! Try being left on the side of the road as a baby with nothing but a blanket. Or getting adopted, only to have your parents put you in foster care because they don't want you anymore and they're having a biological kid. Or the one person you thought really loved you stabbing you in the back." Emma didn't mean for it all to sip out like that, but once the words left her mouth, she wanted to grab them and force them back inside. Henry looked stunned. "I'm sorry kid. You shouldn't have had to hear that. Look, my point is, I know it may feel like your mom doesn't love you the way she should, but she's doing her best. I'm sure you two can work out whatever's going on between you two if you just gave her the benefit of the doubt."

Henry didn't seem to hear her, "I can prove the fairy tales are real. Just give me one week, and I'll show you!"

Emma threw her hands up, "Okay, that's enough. I'm taking you home." She began walking toward her car and motioned for him to follow.

To her great surprise, Henry took her hand and walked with him, as if he were her child.

* * *

"I left my book in your car." Henry whispered, before racing past his mother's waiting arms into the white mansion.

Regina's lip curled in hurt and for the first time Emma genuinely felt sorry for her. Regina coughed, "I see my son's taken quite a shine to you."

"I guess." Emma shifted her weight from one foot to the other. It struck her out of nowhere that the same moment she wished to not be along, Henry had burst into her life, but she didn't think Regina would like to hear that.

"You do understand that this little adventure is over, of course?" Regina enunciated, as if speaking to a small child.

"Maybe I-"

Regina raised a finger, "Uh, uh." She stalked closer to Emma, like at the hospital. "You don't get to speak, you don't get say anything." Her voice was slow and low. Dangerous. "You are not his mother. You are not his friend. You're nothing to him and you know nothing about him. While you've spent the last ten years doing god-know-what, I've changed every diaper, nursed every fever, and endured every tantrum. He's my son. I'm the only one who knows what's best for him. I swear if you come anywhere near my family again, I will destroy you."

Lie? Something close to a lie.

Again, Emma knew something there wasn't completely true, but she had no idea what. Remembering the similar speech Regina had given the night before, she wondered why Regina seemed to deem her such a threat. Emma studied Regina for moment. Her immaculate appearance; her rigid posture; the haughtiness and disdain written in the lines of her face.

"Do you love him?"

Regina looked disgusted that Emma would even ask her that, "Of course I do." She slammed the door in Emma's face.

Lie.

All Emma could picture was Henry's little face, the words "She doesn't love me" leaving his mouth and the conviction in his eyes. It made no sense. Regina had raised him for ten years and clearly worried about him. How could she not love him? Maybe, Emma thought to herself, I'm not as good as I thought when it comes to defecting lies. She should leave, Emma knew. This wasn't any of her business. But...

But Henry needed someone on his side, someone who might be able to bring him down to reality and help him through whatever emotional crisis he was dealing with. His mother didn't seem to have a very good handle on things. Emma thought of Felicity, and how she'd been too cowardly to give the poor girl a word of advice.

She didn't want to let Henry down, so she was staying.

* * *

The inn had gaudy floral wallpaper and carpeting that had been around longer than Emma had. Still, it had a certain old-fashioned charm. She heard parts of an argument between two women upstairs, growing louder as they came downstairs.

A young woman in bright red shorts and a black leather jacket stomped her feet. "I should have moved to Boston!" she screamed.

"Well sorry my heart attack stopped you from sleeping your way down the Eastern Seaboard." an older white-haired woman replied, her tone thick with acid.

They argued for another few minutes until they noticed Emma, frozen and unsure, standing there. "Hi, I'd like to rent a room?"

"Please forgive my granddaughter," the old woman said, "She's a piece of work."

The young scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Oh that is rich coming from you."

The old woman sat behind the front desk, an ancient wooden thing with forest imagery carved into the front, glaring at her granddaughter the whole time. Her face softened when she turned to Emma, "We haven't had a guest in a while. It's always nice to see a new face." She took out a large book from under the desk, "Full name?"

"Emma Swan."

"Emma," a man's voice came from behind her.

She turned to see an older gentleman approaching them. There was nothing impressive or interesting about him: thin and shorter than average; brown eyes and graying brown hair; sharp features; and plain clothes that seemed a size too large. He walked with a cane and an aspect of satisfaction. An unsettling smile crept onto his lips. Emma felt self-conscious under his intense gaze.

"What a lovely name." he continued.

"Thanks." Emma nodded, then turned back to the old woman, who was glaring at the man.

"I told you, I'll have my rent by tomorrow." she told him.

He considered this a moment, then laughed, "You know I don't normally do this Mrs. Lucas, but I'm in a good mood tonight. Have my money by this time tomorrow and we won't have any issues."

Mrs. Lucas sighed, "Thank you."

"Please ladies, enjoy the rest of your evening." The man smiled like he knew something they didn't and was proud of that fact. A wave of distrust washed over Emma.

"So, he owns this place?" Emma asked Mrs. Lucas.

"Mr. Gold?" The granddaughter chimed in, "Try the whole town. Son-of-a-bitch."

"Ruby!" Mrs. Lucas scolded. She asked Emma, "Would you like a view of the square or the forest?"

"It doesn't matter." Emma answered.

Mrs. Lucas finished the paper and reached behind her to grab a silver key with an ornate handle. "Here you go. Room 214. Ruby would you please make yourself useful and show Miss Swan to her room?"

'Gimmicky', Emma thought as she accepted the key.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Emma, at the moment her fingers brushed against the key's silver hand, a minute hand of the old clock-tower moved for the first time in years. From his bedroom window, Henry noticed the change and a huge grin split across his face.

* * *

After Ruby showed her to her room and closed the door behind her - promising to bring her toiletries in the morning. Emma kicked off her books, stripped to her t-shirt and underpants, and slung her red leather jacket across the back of a chair. Instead of going to sleep, she curled up with Henry's book and studied the front cover. It looked moderately used - not brand new, but not well-worn either. She flipped through first several pages, just looking at the pictures: colorful and lifelike, save the blank faces.

She flipped back to the beginning and began to read:

 _Once Upon a Time,_

 _In the Kingdom of Misthaven, there lived a girl named Snow White. Before Snow White had been born, her mother wished for a child that was black as night, red as blood, and white as snow. For those were her beloved's favorite colors, and she wanted a child that was everything he loved. And so it came to pass. Snow White was born with skin as pale as the moon, lips like summer cherries, and long black hair like a raven's wing._

The more Emma read, the more odd and twisted the story became, until it was almost unrecognizable for the story she'd heard as a kid.

 _The Huntsman looked down at the young girl kneeling at his feet. Tears fell down her cheeks, but a sad smile graced her lips._

 _"It's all right, as long as my sister is safe." she told him._

 _The Huntsman raised his dagger, prepared to take her heart as the Evil Queen had instructed, but he couldn't bring himself to hurt on hair on Snow White's head. She was so selfless, he felt himself fill with shame for even thinking of following the Queen's terrible orders. He tossed the dagger aside._

 _Snow White looked at him in surprise._

 _"Go," The Huntsman instructed, "Back into the forest and run in the direction of Siren's Peak until you reach the mines. The dwarfs will hide you and keep you safe until your father's allies can defeat the Evil Queen. I'll deal with her myself."_

 _"You mustn't! You have no idea how powerful she is." Snow White protested. "She killed my father, her own husband. Who knows what she'll do to you?"_

 _The Huntsman took her hands and helped her unto her feet, "You don't need to worry about me. If you are lost, your father will never have justice. Hurry your Majesty, there's not a moment to lose."_

 _New tears fell from Snow White's eyes as she obeyed the Huntsman. By now the sun had begun to set and soon the whole forest had turned dark and cold and unfamiliar. Strange shapes seemed to follow her as she stumbled over roots and through the thick foliage. Her hair wild with leaves, her dress and clock torn and muddy, and her feet aching with each step._

 _She wanted Father and Red and Widow Lucas. She wanted to go home, to sit by the fire telling stories and ride her favorite horse. Siren's Peak, the tallest mountain in the kingdom, loomed in the distance. No matter how fast she ran, it seemed to only get farther away. What if she never found the dwarfs? What if she did, but they turned her away?_

 _A growl echoed through the forest. Snow White froze in terror. She couldn't tell where the sound had come from or what had made it. She had no weapon to defend herself and was exhausted from her long ordeal. A huge, lumbering shape emerged from the trees, its movements slow and deliberate. A pair of amber eyes flashed in the moonlight._

 _All fell silent expect the sound of Snow White's heart thudding against her sternum._

 _It was a bear. A great, fearsome thing with long, jagged teeth. It didn't matter if she ran or screamed for help; it would catch her. Perhaps if she stayed still, it would lose interest and leave her alone._

 _The bear moved toward her, not changing its pace. It closed its mouth, putting away those awful teeth. When it got close enough for Snow White to smell the thick musk covering its fur, the bear craned it's neck. Around it, someone had tied a ribbon that might have once been white._

 _Snow White's mouth feel open. This was the same bear she and Rose Red had found half-dead in the palace gardens so many winters ago, the same one they had cared for until one day it disappeared._

 _"Do you remember me?" Snow White asked the bear._

 _The bear moved even closer and nuzzled her hand with his snout. Snow White's fear melted away. She hugged her old friend, grateful to have his companionship once more._

 _"I'm need to get to dwarf mines," Snow White told him, "Can you take me there? I don't want to have to travel through this dark forest all alone."_

 _The bear nodded. Snow White had no idea how he understood her, but she didn't question it. The two friends traversed the lonely forest together, neither of them afraid anymore._

Soon, the hours crept up on Emma and she drifted off to sleep.


	3. The Princesses and the Bear

Like every morning before, Teddy Mishra woke up well before dawn. He showered, shaved, and dressed himself. Careful not to wake his mother and aunt, who both like to sleep in, he prepared breakfast for the three of them and wolfed down his meal. Dressed in flannel, work jeans, and his reliable old boots, he hopped into his truck and drove to work.

Teddy lived on edge of Storybrooke, near the northern border of the forest, his home a farm house that longer housed a farmer. Only a serpentine dirt road connected it to town. The distance supplied a quiet and solitude he'd been missing since... He didn't know how long he'd been missing it, just that he had. His aunt might complain about not being to walk to store when she needed something, but Teddy prefer things that way. The sun had rose above the horizon when he reached the docks. Its rays danced across the ocean waves, blinding yellow-white surrounded by blue.

The sight almost made up for the pungent odor of oil and dead fish.

Ashley Bao strolled down the sidewalk to work, same as always, her large pregnant belly stretching out her uniform. Despite the dark circles under her eyes, Teddy noticed for the first time apparently how beautiful she looked. Something about her - whether the curve of her nose or the shape of her cheekbones - reeled him in like a fish on a line. When she caught him staring, he looked away. There was no use getting distracted by a pretty mom-to-be, especially not when he had work to do.

The clock-tower chimed. Teddy thought he'd just imagined it when he heard it again.

"Did you hear that too?" Ashley called to him, her haggard but lovely face scrunched up in confusion.

Teddy shrugged, "Looks like Marco finally got around to fixing the old clock-tower."

"I guess he'll be fixing the town sign next." Ashley observed.

"Why's that?"

"You didn't hear?" Ashley gestured southwest, where the highway connect to Main Street, "Some woman from out of town crashed into the sign a few nights ago. She's been staying at Granny's."

Teddy laughed. Who'd ever want to come to Storybrooke? He figured most people didn't even know the town existed. "Yeah? What's she like?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen her yet." Ashley glanced again at the clock-tower, "I better get going. I can't be late to work again."

"Right," Teddy nodded, "It was nice talking to you."

Ashley, blushing a gentle shade of rose pink, smiled so sweetly Teddy's insides did somersaults.

* * *

Despite the fact the she preferred the indoors, Snow White loved few things more than riding her beloved steed, Thorn. The fine grey mare may have snapped at everyone else who came near her, but she obeyed her rider without question. The winter palace, which stood in a large meadow deep in the forest, had more space for her to roam than the summer palace. She rode Thorn along the long, twisted garden paths, her long braid flapping in the wind behind her.

As morning turned to afternoon, her younger sister Rose Red rode toward Snow on her own horse, a bay gelding named Sammy.

"Snow, Father says you've gone to far," Red told her. "He wants you back at the palace as soon as possible."

"He never lets us do anything fun," Snow complained. "C'mon, let's enjoy ourselves a little longer and tell him we got lost coming home."

Red rolled her eyes. Everyone could see that King Leopold doted on his eldest daughter far more than he ought to. Everyone but Snow herself, of course. Red knew her sister had a good heart, but she could be laughably spoiled and selfish. Father might forgive her for acting out, but Mother wouldn't. "Well, if you want to disobey him and get your riding privileges revoked, be my guest, but don't drag me into this." She steered Sammy back to the palace.

Given the choice between returning to the palace and letting Red tattle, Snow scowled and followed her sister.

"He wouldn't have believed us anyway." Red said after they'd been riding for in silence for several minutes. "We know the palace grounds better than anyone."

Snow rolled her eyes. She knew Red was right, but didn't want to admit it. At thirteen, Snow White was blossoming into a beautiful young woman. Her silky, black hair contrasted beautiful with her milky skin, framing bright red lips and twinkling green eyes. But in many ways she was still a little girl.

The sisters rode through the palace's tall iron gate. The trees, naked but for the falling snow, rose up from the ground like grasping, misshaped hands. Snow dusted the evergreens like the white lace Mother had wore over her emerald green gown. Some berry thrives despite the cold, like little rubies all in a bunch. Above them, the white-grey cloud encroached the pale blue sky, bringing with it the threat of heavy snowfall.

A twig snapped somewhere to their left. "Did you hear that?" Snow asked her sister.

"No." Red replied, then continued on.

Snow paused and searched her surroundings. In the corner of her eye, she saw something brown and furry move behind a bush. "There!" she pointed.

"Hurry up or I'm leaving you behind." Red threatened.

Snow and Red led their horses into the warm glow of the stables. A pair of grooms helped the little princesses from their horses. Widow Lucas met them at the side entrance, a rush of warmth from the kitchens enveloping the girls as they stepped inside. Their caretaker helped them wash and dress for dinner.

As was normally the case, Father sat at the head of the long table and Mother beside him, with the girls seated together across from her. The family ate in an uncomfortable silence. Father took measured bites and asked the girls about their day in between them. Mother took quick, presence bites, clearing her plate before anyone else had finished half their meal. She washed it down with a long, deep sip of wine and prepared to excuse herself.

"Not yet, my dear." Father piped up.

Mother glared at him. "I'm tired, your Majesty. I need to retire for the evening."

"Really now, the day's far from over." Father rolled his eyes, "We hardly ever get to spent time as a family. Why don't you bond with the girls, since we're all here?"

"I spent plenty of time with them yesterday, didn't I girls?" Mother turned her sharp gaze to Snow and Red, almost daring them to contradict her.

"She did." Snow lied. Red nodded silently.

Father did not look convinced. "King George invited us to a ball celebrating the betrothal of his son, James. He's invited nobles from everywhere, even far off lands."

"A ball!" Snow lit up like a candle, "That sound absolutely amazing. I'll outshine everyone, even the prince's betrothed. Who is the prince betrothed to anyway?"

Father shook his head at her fondly, "Princess Abigail of Chrysanthe, daughter of King Midas."

"I thought she had turned to gold." Mother frowned.

"Ah, so you do care to participate in this family." Father teased, "Yes, but Prince James broke the curse with True Love's kiss."

"How fortunate for King George," Mother sneered, "His son will marry the wealthiest princess in the realm."

Snow smiled haughtily, "I don't care how rich she is. I'm more beautiful."

"Indeed you are," Father reached over and patted her hair. "Just don't say so in front of anyone else."

Mother held back a disgusted snort.

* * *

Assertive knocking on the front door of her rented room woke Emma from her fitful sleep. In her dreams, she's been locked away in the tiny cell, forgotten by the world, with nothing to do but watch her stomach grow larger and large with an unborn child. But when her water broke, she had to give birth all alone, in the filth, as the guards ignored her desperate screams. Her child emerged blue and cold and silent.

Emma shook those bleak thoughts from her head as she got up and answered the door. The mayor stood on the other side holding a large wicker basket of apples and wearing an uncharacteristically cheerful smile.

"Good morning. I'm glad to see you slept well."

"Good...morning?" Emma couldn't tell if she were looking at the same woman from the day before.

"Did you know the honeycrisp tree is the most vigorous and hardy of all apple trees? It can survive temperatures as low as forty below and keep growing. It can weather any storm." Regina handed the basket of apples to Emma, "I thought you'd enjoy these on your trip home. They came from a tree I've tended to since I was a little girl."

Emma accepted the basket, but eyed Regina with suspicious. "That's very thoughtful of you, but I'm actually going to stick around for a while."

"Oh?" Regina's smile flaked like cheap paint, "I don't see any reason for you to do that."

"You don't need to." Emma replied as she set the apples down on the desk.

Regina stepped into the room and get closer than Emma felt comfortable with, "As mayor, I have to a right to know. Have to keep the town safe, after all."

"You think I'm dangerous?"

At last Regina dropped the pretense, "I think you're unpredictable and I like knowing what to expect from people."

"Well, that's your problem, not mine." Emma shrugged.

Regina gave Emma an deepening glare, "Is this about Henry? I'm sure even you know how it looks when a complete stranger keeps trying to spend time with a child they have no business being around."

Emma faltered. Regina had a point. "I-I just want to make sure he's alright."

"He has me for that. I thought we'd already established that you don't know anything about children."

"No," Emma countered, "We established that I've never been a parent. That doesn't mean I don't know anything about kids."

Regina shook her head, "I don't know how many time I have to repeat myself: your expertise aren't needed. I've got everything taken care of."

Emma narrowed her eyes, "What does that mean?"

"It means I've got him in therapy. It's all under control." Regina smirked.

* * *

When she caught up to sister, Red grabbed Snow by the elbow and hissed, "What are you doing?"

Snow jumped when she felt a hand on her. "Red?"

"You're going to get us in trouble. Come back to bed."

Ignoring Red, Snow retraced her steps from earlier that day by the light of the full moon. As Red debated whether she should talk her sister out of this or return to bed, Snow grabbed her hand and yanked her to the bush she'd seen earlier.

"There," she told Red.

Behind the bush, laying on its side, was a bear. From the gash at his side and its labored breathing, the girls could tell the creature didn't have much time left. Snow moved forward. The bear opened one golden eye and studied her, but made no movement.

"You poor thing." Snow cooed as she knelt beside him. She stroked his fur, a thick, dark brown mess that smelled like smoke despite being covered in snow.

Red sighed, "I wish there was something we could for him."

Snow knelt beside him. "Maybe there is. Mother has a sorts of healing charms and potions."

"She'll never let us use them." Red warned.

"Who says she has to know?" Snow argued. "If we don't do something, he might not survive the night."

"Okay," Red squared her shoulders, "Do you know where Mother keeps her magical items?"

"In the vault...in the summer palace." Snow wailed.

"Maybe she brought something along?"

"We'd have to sneak into her bedroom to find it." Snow grasped for a solution and inspiration struck her, "You can wake her up and tell them I've run off. Everyone will be so distracted looking for me, I'll be able to sneak in."

"But you'll get caught!"

Snow's eyes shone with tears, "Not if we moved him somewhere private. Remember that cave we found last winter? I don't think anyone else knows about it. We can hide him there and I'll run back to that spot once I've taken what we need."

"And you're sure that'll work?" Red asked.

"No, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. Please Red, we can't just leave him here." Snow begged.

"But how will we even get him over there?"

Before Snow could answer, the bear let out a deep groan and, with difficulty, lifted himself to his feet.

The girls gaped, wide-eyed. "You can understand us?" Snow breathed. Awe dripped from her voice like honey.

The bear replied with a weak nod.

"Okay, there's no time to lose. I'll take him to the cave, you tell everyone I'm missing and make sure they don't come near us." Snow instructed her sister. "We have to hurry." Leaving no room for her sister to argue, she placed on hand on the bear's shoulder and led him away.

Red hesitated. Nothing good would come of helping Snow with this reckless plan, but the bear's struggle to walk as Snow led him to safety filled her empathy. The little eleven year old steeled herself for what was to come, and walked back into the castle as her sister told her to.

* * *

Mary arrived at school just as Henry arrived with Emma, the two of the appearing to have an important conversation.

"Hi Miss Blanchard!" Henry smiled brightly when he saw her. As he walked into the school, he said, "We can talk more about Operation Cobra after school. Bye Emma!"

The two women watched Henry disappear in the school building, then Mary turned to Emma, "It's nice to have his smile back. Thank you."

Emma looked embarrassed, "I didn't do anything."

"You stayed," Mary stated, "And that's a big deal to him."

"Has he mentioned anything about fairy tales to you?"

Mary chuckled. She'd been wondering when Emma would bring that up. "Only every day since I gave him his book."

"That was from you?" Emma's eyebrows flew up.

"I found it in a box of old things while I was cleaning out my attic. Henry," she took a deep breath, "Henry is such a bright child, but he's lonely. I figured that book would give him some hope of things getting better. But I might have made them worse."

A shadow fell over Emma's face. "Right. He thinks the fairy tales are real now. He told me you were Snow White."

Mary shook her head, "And that my pet birds are the Seven Dwarfs, and his mom is the Evil Queen, and the sheriff is the Huntsman. He even thinks Ruby Lucas is my sister."

"What about Prince Charming?"

"He's still looking for him," Mary replied. "Who does he think you are?"

Emma shrugged, "I'm not in the book, but he seems to think I'm important for reason."

The shrill ringing bell put an end to their conversation. "I need to get going." Mary told her, "Maybe you can help him through this."

Emma's mouth opened to say something, but she stopped herself and only gave Mary an uncertain smile.

* * *

Regina stood by her window, staring out at the clock-tower longer than she planned, fixated on the ever-going movement of its hands and gears. Dread soaked her to the skin as she imagined how Emma Swan would tear through her happiness and destroy ever good thing she had left. She had to remove the threat.

Sidney opened the door, holding up that morning's copy of The Daily Mirror. "What do you think, Madam Mayor? I even added in a bit about her being a drunk-driver."

"Hmm?" She ran her fingers through her gray and black hair.

"You seem distracted." Sidney noted.

Regina snorted, "Did you get information on that woman who's being hanging around my son?" she asked, pointedly ignoring his previous statement.

"Not much you can work with." Sidney admitted. "She's moved around a lot, seven cities in the past ten years, but nothing out of the ordinary. But I did get these."

He reached into his coat pocket and presented to Regina four pictures of Emma and Henry from earlier that day. The first picture showed them inside Granny's, with Emma sitting by the counter and Henry standing next to her. The next three had been taken outside, as she walked him to school. Regina resisted the urge to tear them to pieces. How dare that woman breeze in and act like she was Henry's mother!

"Is that it?" Regina demanded.

"I-I thought that was plenty." Sidney stammered.

Taking a sip of her coffee, she glared at him, "You're useless, you know that Sidney?"

"I'm sorry, Madam Mayor. Maybe we can do another piece about her breaking the town sign."

"Come on Sidney, you know running the same story twice is beneath you. And nobody ever cared about that sign anyway." Regina sneered. "I'm just lucky I was smart enough to think of something without you."

"If you have something, why did you need me?"

Regina closed her eyes, "Must you question me?" She reached into her desk drawer and slapped a folder onto the top. "Spin this the ugliest way you can."

Sidney picked up the folder and reach through its content. His throat seemed to close up, "Um, Madam Mayor, this is...are you sure you need to show this is everyone?"

"Get out." Regina barked, so harshly and abruptly that Sidney flinched, "Stay out of my sight until you're ready to be the reporter I need you to be."

"Regina-"

"Out."

Sidney retreated, his head hanging low.

Once alone, Regina took of her reading glasses and sat in her chair mulling over what to do about Emma Swan. She couldn't kill her, because then the curse the break. And she didn't have the option of using magic to force Miss Swan out. If the public-shaming didn't work, Regina would have to something of something else before Emma Swan ruined her happy ending.

Before long, it was nearly time to pick Henry up from school, but Doctor Hopper hadn't called yet. Regina decided to call him first. He hadn't received any visits that day, which meant Emma Swan hadn't taken the bait.

Time for a new plan.

* * *

When school let out for the day, Henry run out the front door hoping to see Emma, but his mother stood there waiting for him instead.

"Hello sweetheart." Regina extended her hand toward him, "How was school?"

"Fine." Henry muttered. He walked past her, not seeing the crushing look on her face as he rejected her greeting. They rode the rest of the way home in silence, until they had almost reached the mansion.

"I've invited Miss Swan over for dinner." Regina announced.

Henry glared at her, "No you didn't. You're just saying that so when she doesn't come, I'll think she doesn't care about me. But I know she does."

Regina sighed. "Henry, you don't really think I'd do something like that, do you? It's obvious you and Miss Swan are close and since she'll be in town for a while, I though it'd best for all to get to know each other and set up appropriate boundaries. Then I'll take you to see Dr. Hopper."

"I don't believe you." Henry insisted, "The Evil Queen always lies!"

"I'm not the Evil Queen." Regina's voice became higher, "I'm your mother, not your arch-nemesis."

"Who says you can't be both?" Henry argued.

Regina pulled into the driveway, but as Henry tried to leap out of the car, she held him back. "That is enough young man," she hissed, "I will not tolerate being disrespected like that. You'll fix that attitude right now or you're grounded for a month."

Henry scowled but nodded.

"Go upstairs and do your homework," Regina ordered, loosening her grip on his sleeve.

Henry sulked the rest of the afternoon. Being the Evil Queen's son meant having to take orders from the same woman who had tried to kill Snow White and so many others; the same woman who terrorized the Enchanted Forest, freed the Dark One, and cast a curse to destroy everyone's happy endings. He tried to concentrate on his homework, but he kept worrying about Emma. He had thought the Savior would be ready to save people, but Emma didn't even believe in magic.

But she stayed, and that meant some part of her knew the town needed her.

Part of him still latched on the chance that Emma was his birth mother after all. He wanted so badly to get out from under the Evil Queen's thumb and finally have a mother who loved him. But he'd made a mistake. Emma wasn't his mother. It stung at first, but now it didn't bother as much; breaking the curse was more important anyway.

At 5:30, Regina called from downstairs, "Get ready for dinner. Miss Swan's almost here."

After putting his books away, Henry changed out of his school uniform and went to the bathroom to wash up. When he finished, he heard Regina and Emma talking in the living room, though he couldn't make out what they were saying. Regina told the truth? He raced down the staircase to see Emma.

"I know, right?" Emma said. She sat across from Regina, her back to Henry. "It's crazy."

Henry's stomach dropped. Emma didn't just have trouble accepting that the curse was real, she thought he was crazy like everyone else did. The one person he thought he could convince-

"You think I'm crazy?" he accused.

Emma spun around, her blonde hair flying behind her like a halo. Eyes wide, she cried, "Henry?"


	4. Almost New Beginnings

Henry raced out the door before she could explain herself, leaving Emma standing in the living room with guilt washing over her. She glared at Regina. The mayor sat crossed-leg, her blood red lips curled in a smirk.

"You planned this, didn't you?" The realization struck her like a punch to the gut and flared under her skin like a ugly rash. She should have suspected something when Regina invited her dinner like they were old friends.

Regina's smirk widened, "Did I know that my son is sensitize to being called crazy? Did I tell him to be downstairs right before you show up? Of course I did. I'm his mother."

Emma could only stare. "The kind of mother who hurts her kid just to get to someone? How did you get like this?"

Regina didn't answer, but her smirk fell.

Shaking her head in disgust, Emma left to catch up with Henry, but by the time she got outside, Henry had vanished. She cried out, "Henry?! Henry, where are you?" She immediately drove to the castle, hoping he'd gone there to brood, but found no one there.

How could she explain herself to Henry? What could she say to calm him down? Blaming Regina wouldn't make things better because he already had a low opinion of her. The hurt and betrayal in his face sickened her. Only then did it occur to her how awful it must have felt so him, to believe something so strongly and be shut down at every turn. Mary had said he was lonely. Maybe it wouldn't hurt if she played along for a little while, and let him grow out of it once he realized how ordinary Storybrooke was.

Back in town, Emma noticed a lanky man strolling down the sidewalk. Although Emma knew how stupid and reckless it would be to accost a strange man alone in the dark, she figured nothing too bad could happen in a small, quiet town, so she picked Henry's book, got out of the car and tapped on his shoulder to get his attention. Muscles tense, heart pounding, and legs ready to flee, she forced herself to say, "Excuse me. I'm sorry, but I need your help."

He stopped. "Evening. You're the new woman, Miss Swan." the man asked. He had a bronze, rectangular face with a large hawk nose and wore plain, stained clothes that reeked of sea-salt and something metallic.

"You can just call me Emma." she stated, "Have you seen a little boy around lately? About this tall, brown hair, brown eyes, looked really upset?"

"You mean Henry Mills? He went into Dr. Hopper's office about fifteen minutes ago." he answered, "I can you show you the way."

Emma smiled, "Thank, I'd really appreciate that."

"I'm Teddy, by the way," the man told her as they walked in the opposite direction. "I work down by the docks."

"Interesting." Emma replied. She wasn't interested in anything but apologizing to Henry, but she didn't want to be rude.

"Are you a friend of the mayor?"

"Definitely not. I'm Henry's...I guess I'm Henry's friend."

Teddy had one of those smiles that lit up his eyes, "That's nice to hear. He doesn't have too many of those."

"He doesn't?" Childhood memories filtered behind Emma's eyes as she pictured Henry sitting alone at his castle. Moving from home to home, from school to school, she made friends easily as a little girl, but never got to keep them. Eventually she forgot how to make friends at all. Especially after-

She didn't want to think about that.

"He's a bit of a loner," Teddy shrugged, "and his mother's always hovering over him. But he's a good kid."

"He runs away a lot." Emma muttered. Which, she admitted to herself, was rich coming from her: the woman who had run away from nearly ever foster home she'd been in; never lived anywhere for more than three years in her life; and had the art of moving to a new city down to a science.

Teddy nodded, "Yeah. And here we are." Dr. Hopper's office, a small, shabby place, was in the middle of Main Street, not far from Granny's diner.

"Thanks again." Emma told Teddy as he held the door open for her.

"Good night Emma," he smiled at her before leaving.

Emma stepped inside and found Henry sitting with a red-haired middle-aged man who could only be Dr. Hopper. "Hey kid." she said with uncertainty.

Henry turned his face away from her. "Go away."

Her heart cracked.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Dr. Hopper asked. He set down his glasses and put away his pen and notepad. "This is a private session. You'll have to wait outside."

Did she have to introduce herself to everyone in this town? "I'm Emma Swan and this involves me." she said quickly. Emma sat down next to Henry. "Look kid, I'm so sorry."

"You said I was crazy!" Henry cried.

"I said the curse was crazy, not you." Emma replied before placing Once Upon a Time in Henry's lap. "And it is. But, that doesn't mean that it isn't true. It is a lot to ask anyone to believe in, but there are a lot of crazy things in this world. So what do I know? Maybe it is true."

Dr. Hopper looked worried, but didn't say anything.

"But you told my mom-"

Emma interrupted, "What she needed to hear. What I do know, is that if the curse is real, the only way to break it is by tricking the Evil Queen into thinking that we are non-believers. Cause that way, she's not on to us?"

Henry traced the letters with his fingers and a smile bloomed on his face. "Kind of like you were undercover?"

"Exactly like that." Emma agreed.

"So you do believe me!"

"I believe that you need my help," Emma said carefully, "but magic is a harder to believe."

"But you're willing to listen, at least?" Henry pleaded, his brown eyes filled with hope.

Emma couldn't help but smile, "If you can prove that magic is real, yes. But honestly, I'm here to make sure you're okay."

Henry looked bewildered, "Me? You're staying for me?"

"Of course."

He threw himself at her, hugging her waist so tightly it almost hurt. "I knew you cared about me." he choked. "I knew you were here to help me."

Emma wrapped her arms around him, "That's right kid, I am."

* * *

"Where's my pearl necklace!" Jun Li screamed, "We're almost late!"

Ye Xian combed through the trunks they'd brought with them from home, but there was no sign of her sister's necklace. "Just a second," she pleaded. Her stepmother would kill her if Jun Li didn't outshine everyone else at the ball. She closed the trunk, dropped to her hands and knees, and groped under the furniture. Maybe the necklace had someone gotten under something.

Jun Li sat in front of the vanity, smoothing her hair and whining, "I can't go to the ball without my necklace! Hurry up, you've ruining everything."

At last Ye Xian's fingers glided over the smooth, cool sting of pearls under the low couch and she took it. "I've got it," Ye Xian assured her sister. "You'll be ready in time."

"You can't expect me to put that on. It's been on the floor," Jun Li sneered, "Clean it."

As soon as Ye Xian left the room in search of clean water, her stepmother met her in the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Mei Fen demanded, "I ordered you to get my daughter ready for the ball."

"I just went to get water to clean her necklace because she asked me to." Ye Xian explained.

Mei Fen grabbed Ye Xian by the upper-arm, sharp red fingernail piecing her skin, and dragged her back into Jun Li's chambers. She asked her daughter, "Darling, did you tell Ye Xian to leave to clean your necklace?"

Ye Xian held back a sigh, having already guessed the answer.

"I didn't tell her to leave." Malice and amusement glittered in Jun Li's brown eyes. The eyes they shared with their father, although his had never sent waves of ice down Ye Xian's spine.

"Ye Xian, look at me," Mei Fen commanded. The instant Ye Xian faced her stepmother, Mei Fen rose her hand and slammed it against Ye Xian's left cheek. Her talons left four pink, stinging lines across Ye Xian's face. "Ungrateful child. I raised you after your worthless whore of a mother died, yet you insist on making things difficult for me. You know how important this ball is for your sister. Don't you want her to find a good husband? Or are you too busy thinking only of yourself? Finish getting Jun Li ready. You'll face your punishment when we return."

Mei Fen pet her daughter's cheek, threw one last cold glare at Ye Xian, and sashayed outside.

Ye Xian got back to work, ignoring the pain in her face and the tightness in her stomach she got whenever Mei Fen struck her. She avoided Jun Li's eyes. Jun Li wore a crimson and cream down that Ye Xian's mother had once owned, the last finery they still owned after their father's passing left them destitute. If Jun Li married the prince, she and Mei Fen would have enough servants to carter to them that Xe Yian could at last be free. She only required patience.

After Jun Li and Mei Fen boarded the neighbor's carriage, Ye Xian retreated to her bedroom, the only sanctuary she had left. She lived in the smallest room, four bare walls and a dirt floor. She kept her few possessions in wooden trunk. Save the most precious.

Ye Xian closed her eyes and left her mind drift back to day she found her friend. Soon after her father died and the new clan leader threw her family onto the streets with only what they could carry, Ye Xian had become a servant to the rest of her family, performing chores until her fingers bled and her bones ached and her body collapsed from exhaustion. One summer day, Mei Fen sent her to the river to fill five stone jugs with water. The jugs stood almost to her waist. They were so heavy it took most of the morning to get them to river.

"Ye Xian," a voice had called out to her.

She looked around but saw no one.

"Here, in the river!" the voice called to her again. A great fish swan toward her. It looked over ten feet long, with scales like pure gold and eyes like moonstones.

"How do you know my name?" Ye Xian asked. She left the jugs and walked down to the back to get a closer look at the marvelous animal.

The fish explained, "From your mother. I knew it was you because you look just like her."

"My mother?" Ye Xian gasped in disbelief. Her mother had died shortly after her birth and Mei Fen was the closest thing she'd ever had to a mother - not that it meant much.

"She knew she wouldn't have much time to be with you, so she created me to your to fill your life with happiness."

Tears filled in Ye Xian eyes. Despite everything that had happened to her, there was still joy to be found in the world. "What is your name?" she asked the fish.

"I don't have one."

"May I call Jin?"

"Certainly!" Jin replied, "Let me help you with your chores."

Ye Xian watched in astonishment as Jin's eyes glowed pale gold. Water rose from the river and flowed into the jugs. Once they were full, they vanished.

"What happened? Where are they?" Ye Xian cried, "Who knows what my stepmother will do if I don't return home with water?"

"Don't worry," Jin assured, "Where you return home, they will be there."

When she returned home, Ye Xian found the water jugs by the front door. From that day, Jin had become her only friend. Jin would help finish her chores and they'd spend the rest of the day enjoying each other's company. Until Mei Fen, suspicious as to why her stepdaughter was suddenly happier and less tired, sent Jun Li to spy on her. Mei Fen followed Ye Xian down to the river one day, stabbed Jin with a long dagger, and ordered Ye Xian to serve her friend for dinner to the whole village. A voice in her ear told Ye Xian to gather Jin's bones and put them in four pots, each hidden under the four corners of her bed. Though Jin was dead, the magic had not faded from the bones.

Ye Xian sat in the center of her bed. "I wish I could go to the ball too. Just one night to enjoy myself." She wept. A cloud of golden dust rose from under her bed, filling the room with its warm haze. Ye Xian sprang out of bed in alarm and fled to the courtyard. Outside, a good distance away, when Ye Xian stopped to catch her breath, she realized that splendid new clothes had appeared from nowhere: a gown of fine sea-green silk studded with freshwater pearls and a sweeping cloak made the feathers of kingfishers glimmering black and blue in the moonlight. Her feet were no longer bare; instead she wore slippers made partly of glass and party of gold.

"Jin, is that you?" Ye Xian wondered.

* * *

Mr. Gold found Regina in the apple orchard behind her mansion. He watched her examine a piece of fruit before picking it and placing it in her basket.

"Lovely evening, Madame Mayor." He greeted with practiced levity.

Regina glared at him for interrupting her peace, "What do you want?"

"I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by." Mr. Gold grinned. Watching her set the basket down, he continued, "It's been an interesting last few days, hasn't it?"

"That's not how I would put it." Regina grumbled.

Mr. Gold nodded, "Of course. It must hard knowing your child hates you so much he keeps trying to run away."

Hatred exploded inside her and it took all her self-control not throw him ten feet or give him a fireball to the face. "Well, I won't have to worry about that anymore. It was all Emma Swan's fault and if I'm not mistaken, she'll probably halfway back to Boston by now."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that, dearie," Mr. Gold replied as his teeth bared in a menacing smile. "The townsfolk might be easily cowed, but something tells me Miss Swan is made of sterner stuff. You'll have to get creative if you want to get rid of her or you'll just end up driving Henry away."

"He'll get over it," Regina shrugged.

"Really?" Mr. Gold tilted his head, "Because I just saw your boy walking down Main Street with our new arrival and the two of them looked as thick as thieves."

Regina's eyes darkened. "Don't you have a hole to crawl back into?"

He chuckled, "It was nice speaking with you too, dearie."

* * *

"Shit, I'm late!" Mary wrestled herself out of the cozy confined of her bed and staggered into the bathroom to prepare for her volunteering gig. This week she had to take the fourth and fifth graders to Storybrooke General Hospital. Once she made herself reasonably presentable, she threw open the curtains. Sunlight flooded the apartment. Due to limit of space she could afford, Mary took care to keep everything organized, but today housekeeping would have to wait.

She refilled her birds' bowls and feeders. "Don't get into too much trouble," she joked to her beloved pets. They were all males: a lark, a dove, a sparrow, a parakeet, and three different species of finches. Though Mary didn't remember how she had collected this colorful array of winged friends, she loved them more than anything. "I'll be home before dark."

To her luck, none of the students had arrived when she reached the hospital. As Mary filled the paperwork, Styrofoam cup of cheap hospital coffee in hand, the mayor walked in with her son, Henry.

"Good morning Madam Mayor, Henry." Mary chirped.

Henry returned her greeting, but Regina's eyes swept over her with clear irritation. She told Henry, "I don't want to hear any complaints from Ms. Blanchard or any of the hospital staff, especially not after the way you've been acting lately."

"Yes Mom."

"I'll pick you up at eight. Have a good time honey." Regina pet Henry's hair and walked out.

When Regina had gone Mary spoke to Henry, "How have you been Henry? I understand the last few days have been a bit chaotic."

Henry grinned, "I'm great! Emma's staying in Storybrooke and I'm gonna prove to her the curse is real."

"Really?" Mary couldn't suss out how that made her. "That's... something."

The doors of the hospital opened again and this time a group of four or five young girls walked in chatting and laughing. Murmurs of "Good morning Miss Blanchard" and "Hi Henry" interrupted the conversation before the girls huddled in the corner and resumed their chat. More students fluttered in. At nine-thirty Marty corralled the children behind the front and handed out the required pins that marked them as volunteers. After relaying the rules and guidelines, as usual, before sending them off. On most days the children were fine wandering the halls helping in whatever way the doctors and nurses found appropriate, but today Mary kept a close eye on them. Why had she let them run around before?

After lunch while some of the students made "get well" cards for the patients, Mary fixed a bouquet of lilies and Henry wandered the halls taking note of each patient.

"Henry, why aren't you with the others?" Mary asked.

"I'm trying to guess who they are from my book," Henry moved from an woman in traction to a sleeping white-bearded man.

Mary shook her head, "Please leave the patients alone. It's rude."

Henry scowled, "But-" His eyes widened and rushed past her, despite her unhappy eyes, "That's him!"

Annoyed, Mary turned. Her heart clinked to life like the rusty, cobweb-covered gears of an old clock moving for the first time in years. The man lying on the bed behind her took her breath away; the serene look on his sleeping face, feathery eyelashes, bow-shaped dark pink lips. Velvety dark skin stretched across his broad, handsome features. Several moments passed before Mary noticed all the machines around him. Coma.

"Don't bother him," Mary warned.

"That's Prince Charming, your husband." Henry said confidently.

Mary sighed. "He's a coma patient Henry, and I've never met him before in my life." Though, she had to admit, she wouldn't mind if he was her husband. She'd been volunteering at the hospital for as long as she could remember. How had she not seen him before?

"You just-"

"Don't remember?" Mary finished.

"Everything alright here?" A woman asked them in a chipper voice. Mary recognized her from the maternity ward, Dr. West. Her hair, a tangle of bright red and dull grey, was pulled back in a bun, her pale blue eyes unusually alert for the time of day, and an easy smile on her thin, pale lips.

Mary apologized for Henry's behavior. "We were just leaving." She wrapped an arm around Henry's shoulders and began leading him toward the other children.

"Do you know him?" Dr. West asked. "I know this isn't my department, but he's been here for years and no one's ever claimed him. He's like our own little mystery."

"No idea." Mary shrugged.


	5. Left Behind

Nagaraj watched his friend with growing concern. When he arrived at the palace several days ago James looked at him as though seeing him for the first time, though they had known since childhood. James withdrew himself from others, behavior at odds with his extroverted nature, and fished for excuses to be alone. He glared at and argued with his father much more often than normal. Despite his many faults, King George loved his son and Nagaraj couldn't reconcile the hostility the father and son showed other with the doting, affectionate relationship he knew they shared.

Perhaps it was the betrothal. On a hunting trip James had confessed that he and Princess Abigail were only pretending to be each other's True Love as part of an alliance between their fathers. Princess Abigail's lover, whom she refused to name, had freed her from the curse, but George forced James to take credit for it. The wedding wouldn't be for a few more years but the betrothal ball must have caused James a lot of stress, Nagaraj guessed.

James and Abigail danced only once and spent the rest of the evening sitting beside their fathers trying to look infatuated with each other. Nagaraj pitied them. The future bride and groom were both only fourteen and had barely had a chance to live before they were tied down to a stranger for the rest of their lives. Despite the respect he had for the man, the dejection in James' eyes made Nagaraj furious with George. How could he toss away his own son's happiness for gold? And though he didn't know Princess Abigail, he shuttered at the thought of loving someone so deeply but having no future with them.

But James didn't want to talk to him and Princess Abigail didn't trust him enough to let him know her true feelings, so Nagaraj kept his musings to himself. Drifting from one corner of the ballroom to another, like a leaf in the summer breeze, he paused to make polite conversation with the other guests and smiled playfully when women flirted with him.

As the party waned, a new guest arrived. Who could have been delayed that long? A young woman entered alone, garbed in a magnificent green gown and a shimmering clock of blue-black feathers. Tiny jewels rested in her ink-black hair like stars. He watched her dance with one young man, then another, then take a moment to chat and laugh with a small group of other girls. He called the herald to his side, who couldn't explain why he had let her in without an invitation. Nagaraj suspected magic.

With long, determined strides, Nagaraj approached the stranger. "My lady..." His words stopped in his throat and his suspicions flew out of his head when she turned her eyes to him.

Her face shone like moonlight on a clear, dark night, save for the points of color on her cheeks. Unlike the somber and formal guests, amazement and joy radiated from her so strongly it spread to him and Nagaraj struggled not to break out in a grin.

She bowed, "My lord." Her voice carried a lilt of wonder.

"W-would you like to dance?" He held out his hand, half-afraid she's reject him, but she accepted it with a bright smile.

She wasn't as graceful a dancer as some of the other women, but she more than made up for it with her enthusiasm. She made a passable effort to follow the music, but clearly focused more on enjoying the moment than impressing anyone with her skill. Nagaraj had to smile. Her eyes darted around the room, taking everything in with sincere, almost childlike glee.

"I never caught your name," Nagaraj brought up.

Before she could answer him, the mysterious woman turned pale and her lips parted in worry. After a second she blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"Your name?" Nagaraj gently squeezed her hand. What could have upset her so much so quickly?

Panic spread across her face, "I-I need to leave."

She pushed herself out of his arms, gathered her skirt in her arms, and bolted. Nagaraj reached for her arm, but missed, so he went after her. The bright, bustling crowd obstructed his view as he dodged courtiers, guests and servants trying to reach his partner, but eventually he looked through a window and saw the shimmer of her feathery blue-black cloak retreating through the back garden. She hobbled; one of her shoes had slipped off during her escape.

Nagaraj tried to catch up with her, but by the time he made it outside, she had vanished in the shadowy haze of trees. Panting heavily he turned back to the palace. Her remain shoes lie in the dirt, starting gold and glass. Nagaraj knelt and picked it up, knowing he would see her again.

* * *

For the second morning in a row someone woke Emma up by knocking on her door and she wondered if she'd ever get a morning to herself while she was here.

"Hello?"

The owner of the inn, whom everyone called Granny, stood on the other side looking upset, "Sorry to bother you Miss Swan, but - this is so awkward - I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave. We have a 'no felons' rule. It's in the city ordinance. You can have an hour to gather your things, but I need the room key back."

Emma sighed and began collecting her few belongings, but stopped. Her record had been sealed because she was a minor. No one could have known. "How did you know I was a felon? Wait, let me guess: the mayor's office called to let you know."

Granny shook her head, "It was in the newspaper. Mr Glass-"

The rest of her sentence didn't reach Emma's ears. "Excuse me," she cut Granny off and raced downstairs to the magazine rack Granny kept near the diner's front counter.

 _Ex-Jailbird Emma Swan Births Stillborn Baby Behind Bars_

She felt naked. She wanted to flee, to hide. How had Regina gotten her hands on this?

"Emma?" Someone called her named. Mary stood behind her, hands folded together and lips pressed together in a nervous frown. She looked over Emma's shoulder and read the headline "Oh god... I'm sorry this is happening to you. Do you... do you want to talk in private?"

"I... I don't..." Emma studied Mary's face, the pity and sadness written the lines of her mouth and eyes. "It's not your problem."

Mary took her hand, "I don't mind listening."

A warm feeling spread from Emma's hand, up her arms, and into her chest, but a cold memory stamped it out. She didn't know this woman. How could she even consider venting about the worst night of her life to someone else? Hadn't she learned a long time ago not to let people see her vulnerabilities unless she wanted them to take advantage of her?

Emma snatched her hand away. "I'm fine," she snapped. She fled the diner before Mary could react. Grief and shame and guilt rose in her lung like the tide, threatening to drown her. She needed to feel something else, anything else. Anger. That did the trick. Anger toward Neal, toward Lily, toward Ingrid, Regina, herself, her birth parents, her adoptive parents, the whole damn world for every action that led to her baby's death.

Without meaning to Emma stormed to Town Hall and into Regina's office. Only when she heard the doors slam open did she register when she was doing, but by then she didn't care.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Emma hissed.

Regina didn't look fazed; in fact, some amusement peeked out from under her veneer of mayoral dignity. "I could ask you the same thing. Didn't your parents teach you any manners? Oh, I forgot: they abandoned you."

Emma had had too many foster siblings jeering her about her birth parents to let it bother her now, "Did your parents teach you to be a criminal? That juvie record was sealed by a court order and I don't know how you got your hands on it, but you broke the law by publishing it."

" _I_ didn't publish anything." Regina smirked, "You'll have to take that up with Mr. Glass."

"He did it because you told him to." Emma scoffed.

Regina waved her hand dismissively, "I don't know what you want me say, Miss Swan, but I'm a very busy woman and I don't have time to sit around listening to you make baseless accusations."

"So you think this is gonna make me leave?" Emma challenged, "A little public humiliation and the problem goes away?"

"Don't test me, Miss Swan." Regina's eyes narrowed, "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

"And you have no idea what I'm capable of." Emma rebuffed.

"Well I know what you're not capable of: staying out of trouble long enough to keep a child alive."

Emma trembled with grief and rage, "You fucking bi-"

Every light-bulb in the office shattered. Emma and Regina both ducked as a shower of glass and metal flew through the air. The women crouched without moving for moment, before Emma rose to her full height, feeling the anger deflate from her leaving behind sorrow. Regina stared at her in astonishment and worry.

Something - a blurry memory? - flashed in the back of Emma's mind. That look seemed familiar.

"You know what, forget it." Emma stated, "You're not worth my breath."

She walked out of Regina's office looking much more confident and put-together than she felt. Her outburst embarrassed her. Emma returned to Granny's and, after apologizing for rudely storming off, showered, dressed, and loaded her stuff in her car. She'd slept in worse places than her yellow Bug and she refused to give Regina the satisfaction of running her out of town.

As Emma put away her last extra change of clothes, Henry came walking down the sidewalk and she waved to him.

"Hi Emma!" he ran up to her and hugged her.

She ruffled his hair affectionately, "Hey, you're here early."

"My mom's always busy on Saturdays, so we can spent the whole day together! At least, until 6 o'clock; she can't know I'm gone."

Emma crossed her arms, "So she doesn't know you're here?"

"She never knows where I am," Henry shrugged, "It's not that big a deal."

"This running away thing is a big deal, Henry." Emma scolded.

He countered, "But I didn't run away. I'm with you, a responsible adult."

Emma shook her head, "Nice try. I'm taking you home; apparently that's my new job."

"Can we at least have breakfast first?" Henry cranked up the charm, hoping to move her with his big, brown eyes, "You can't send me back on an empty stomach."

A smile overtook Emma's face as her turbulent emotions smoothed over. "Okay, then I'm taking you home."

Before they went inside, Emma grabbed the storybook and handed it him, "Thanks, by the way."

"You read the whole things already?!" Henry asked as they walked in Granny's.

Emma confessed, "Not all. But most of it."

The pair sat down at the counter and Emma ordered two stacks of pancakes and hot chocolate with cinnamon for them both. While they ate, Henry went on about his fairy tale theory and prodded Emma for her thoughts on the cursed characters.

When they had almost finished eating, the woman from the hospital, who's name Emma couldn't remember, entered the dinner and approached them. She looked like a college freshman who'd just pulled an all-nighter for a huge exam, even though her clothes and hair were immaculate: a starched, grey dress, red silk scarf, and her curls tamed in a braided bun. Her eyes, with their odd, icy hue, fixed on Emma.

"Emma Swan," she breathed, "Thank goodness you're still here."

Henry saved Emma the trouble of coming up with a response. " Priscilla Jefferson? I though you never left your house!" He beamed at Emma, "This is proof that you're changing things! You being here makes the curse weaker."

"Henry, now's not the time." Emma scolded lightly.

Priscilla stated, "Now is precisely the time. I've spent a lot of time studying and researching since I last saw you, Emma, and we're dealing with a kind of curse I've never seen before."

"You believe in the curse?!" Henry lit up.

"Wait, wait, wait." Emma put her hands up, "We don't know if we're actually dealing with a curse or it Storybrooke is just...weird."

"It's weird and under a curse, duh." Henry remarked.

Emma studied Priscilla, wondering if she believed what she was saying or just playing along for Henry's benefit. She conceded, "Fine. Tell us about the curse."

"Well one thing's for certain: it's some of the darkest magic I've ever encountered." Priscilla lowered her voice.

"Darkest?" Emma scoffed, "I can imagine a lot darker things than living in Maine."

"Dark doesn't mean evil or unpleasant; it means powerful or intense, and can be used for good. Light magic refers to anything magic that doesn't require much effort or have far-reaching effects." She explained, "I can't fathom how Regina managed to reach the Land Without Magic - much less being so many people with her - but that fact that she did makes her a dangerous opponent."

Henry sat enraptured, drinking in each word like someone lost in the desert finding a cool, clean stream. "She must be a powerful magic-user, right?"

"Or she had the help of one." Priscilla confirmed, "Though I have no idea whov would do something like for her; a lot of people hated her. She tried to usurp the throne and caused a war."

"That was when she killed King Leopold and framed Snow White." Henry interjected.

Priscilla smiled proudly, while Emma shook her head. "I think that's enough talk of fairy tales for today. You've got to get home Henry."

"But-" Henry spun around to face her, but he accidentally knocked over his mug of hot chocolate with his elbow, spilling it all over Emma. "Sorry!" He winced as Emma flew out of her seat from the stinging hot pain.

After a moment it passed and Emma looked down at her ruined top. Ruby came by and placed a hand on Emma's shoulder, "The laundry's supposed to be for guests, but I think we can make an exception." After asking Priscilla to keep as eye on Henry, Emma followed Ruby to the back of the inn, where a young Asian girl in a maid uniform stuffed bedding into one of the machines.

"Ashley will take care of it." Ruby told Emma, " You can pick it up tomorrow and in the meantime, borrow something from there." She pointed to a trunk labeled "Lost and Found".

Ruby left them alone, so Emma lifted off her top and handed it to Ashley with a thanks. When Ashley set the bedding away to take Emma's shift, she revealed her large, pregnant abdomen.

"Congrats." Emma said as Ashley took the shirt.

Ashley replied with a thin, bitter smile, "Yeah. Having a baby and then giving it up are a real cause for celebration."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize..."

"I forgot," Ashley blushed, "you're not from here, so you didn't know. Kinda used to everyone knowing my business. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"I get it." Emma said, "Well, sort of. I've never had to put a kid up for adoption, but a lot of my clients are birth mothers searching for their kids or vice versa. It's not easy for anyone involved."

"Are they happy? People who've been adopted?"

"There are usually a lot of complicated and conflicting emotions involved," Emma explained after a moment's silence, "but in general, yeah; they usually have pretty good lives and love their adopted families."

Ashley's expression was bittersweet.

"You don't want to do this." Emma guessed.

"It's my stepmother's idea. No one thinks I can be a mom and she's threatening to kick me out if I keep it. Mr. Gold's already found a family and they don't think I should be too involved." Ashley croaked, "I don't have a choice."

"Screw them." Emma crossed her arms.

"What?"

"Screw. Them. Nobody gets to tell you want to do with your life. You want people to look at you differently? Make them. Because there are no fairy godmothers in this world."

* * *

When David woke, the sky had turned the burnt orange of sunset and someone had placed a huge blanket around him massive body. He watched trickles of snow dance down from the clouds and wondered, not for the first time since this King George inflicted this horrible curse on his, if he would ever return to his old life, to his mother and flock. He thought of the two girls who had saved his life, both only a few years younger than him. He ached to tell them who he was and what had happened to him, but the curse took away his ability to speak.

The injury to his side had lulled to a dull, throbbing pain that didn't bother him so much if he kept his mind on other concerns.

He had to find a way to break the curse, first and foremost, but even if he did King George might go after him again. David ruined plans years in the making; as far as George was concerned, that made David a traitor. Perhaps if he found the real Prince James, he could fix everything and escape the king's rage.

Prince James, his twin brother. David's stomach plummeted whenever he thought of his sibling. How could his parents have given away their own son? And let him believe he was an only child? Had there been something wrong with James... or him? Turning his face from the mouth of the cave, David pictured his parents; his mother teaching him how to sheer sheep while his father looked on; his father carrying an injured lamb home on his shoulders because they never left one of their flock behind.

He brought that lamb back home, but not his own child, David mused bitterly. If his parents have kept James, they wouldn't be in this situation.

He had no way to look at his reflection now, fortunately, but David couldn't contain his disgust over his new form; the ragged claws and odorous fur and savage fangs. He was a boy, not a bear, and if he never returned to his real self...

"Pssss, I'm here." The elder sister stood at the mouth of the cave carrying a basket on her hip so large it almost tipped her over. "Sorry we've been away for long - my sister and I - but our parents weren't pleased by all the trouble we caused that night. How are you feeling?"

David shuffled and gave a low grunt, wishing he had the words to properly thank her.

"Right," she smiled thinly. "I mean, are you feeling better?"

He nodded.

She gazed at him, "I can't believe you're real. I've been around magic all my life - my mother and I are sorcerers but she's only taught me light magic; nothing like this. Oh, I never properly introduced myself: my name is Crown Princess Snow White of Misthaven, but you can call me Snow. My little sister, the girl who was with us that night, it's Princess Rose Red, though she prefers Red."

As she spoke, David inched closer and rested his head on her lap, basking in the warmth of being near another person for the first time in weeks. It must be nice growing up with a sibling.

"Do you have a name?" After David nodded, Snow tried to guess his name and when through two dozen names before she gave up. "Can I just call you Charming?" she suggested.

David raised his head and made his face as incredulous as possible.

"Well I have to call you _something_ ," she placed her hands on her hips. "And you are rather charming, for a bear."

Snorting, David laid his head back down on her lap and listened to her talk about her life and family. Then she said something that flipped everything around.

"We're going to a betrothal ball in a few months, for King George's son, James. He's marrying the princess of Chrysanthe."

What betrothal? David wondered. No one had found James yet. George couldn't have intended for _him_ to marry the princess in his brother's place, or else he wouldn't have turned David into a bear in the first place!

More than ever David wanted to go home, to be a normal thirteen year old boy again, without a secret twin brother or the king's ire.


	6. Knows Best

"Who were you before the curse?" Henry slammed his book on the counter and flipped through the pages, "I always guessed you were a witch or hermit in the Enchanted Forest."

Priscilla smiled, "I'm not from the Enchanted Forest originally. I'm from Wonderland, but worked as a realm-hopper for many years. I used my hat as a portal, but I don't have it anymore, unfortunately."

"Your hat," Henry considered it for a moment. "You're the Mad Hatter!"

Priscilla grimaced, "Just a hatter, thank you."

"So what does a realm-hopper do?" Henry asked.

"I would travel through realms for people who couldn't or didn't want to; sent messages, delivered packages, collected items; sometimes I even had passengers. It's dangerous work and making enemies is far too easy." Priscilla explained, as she tried to keep the disgust out of her voice. In truth, Priscilla couldn't have claimed to be much more than a common thief, but she didn't want Henry to think of her that way, so she spun him the same tale she had told Grace as a small child. No one knew of her past except the Dark One and as long as she kept out of his way, he wouldn't have much interest in exposing her.

Henry stopped on a page of Alice standing beside the Queen of Hearts. "Did you ever come to our world?"

"I thought traveling to the Land Without Magic was impossible: you need to channel magic from both realms too create a portal between them. That's what worries me about your mother, the fact that she's breaking a lot of rules about magic."

"She cast the curse by killing her father." Henry stated solemnly.

Priscilla nodded, "All magic comes with a price. And I get the feeling Regina isn't the only one paying."

"Paying for what?" Emma emerged from the back of the diner wearing a wrinkled, light blue top that looked lovely against her brown skin. She has pulled back her blonde hair in a ponytail.

"The spell she cast." Henry stated.

"But that's not fair!" Ruby cried from the back of the store. The whole diner, Emma, Henry, and Priscilla included, paused and looked up. After several moments of a tense, unintelligible exchange, Ruby stormed out of the kitchen, tossed her notepad to the floor, and threw her apron into someone's chest as they walked inside. Granny emerged from the kitchen and told everyone everyone to ignore what had just happened.

Emma raised an eyebrow at Priscilla, "Okay. C'mon kid, we gotta go."

Henry rolled his eyes and packed the book back into bag, before he gave a Priscilla a hug. "I'll see you later."

As Emma and Henry approached Emma's car, she asked him, "Who's suppose to be watching you right now?"

"What do you mean?" Henry got into the passenger seat.

Emma clarified, "You're mom's at work. She doesn't leave you home alone all day, does she?"

"Yeah, but it's fine. It's nice having the house to myself." Henry shrugged.

As she drove off in the direction of his house, Emma stated, "I don't really feel comfortable leaving you there by yourself."

"If you wanted, you hang out with me." Henry suggested.

"As much as I'd love that," Emma sighed, "Granny just kicked me out and I have to find somewhere to stay."

"I bet my mom had something to do with that," Henry said.

Emma reached over and ruffled his hair, "Look, it's not something you have to worry about. Don't worry about your mom; I can take care of myself."

After arriving at the imposing mayoral mansion and scribbling her cell phone number of an old receipt in case he needed anything, Emma headed to the pawn shop. Ruby, Storybrooke's fount of knowledge, had suggested that she go to Mr Gold for an apartment since he owned almost every building in town. Pawning was just a hobby. Emma parked across the street and entered, a little bell twinkling to signal her presence.

"I'll be there in a minute!" Mr. Gold called from the back of the shop, irritation evident.

The shop was dim, clean, but disorganized. Not much light made it into the room due to the heavy, yellowed blinds, with everything appearing filtered through a brown lens. Various odd and ancient-looking objects covered the tables: a brow and arrow; a couple of creepy, remarkably human-like puppets; a pair of women's shoes that seemed to be made of gold and glass. Despite the clutter, everything seemed reasonable clean.

Mr. Gold emerged from behind a heavy velvet curtain and smiled when he saw her, the same smile that had made her uncomfortable before. "Ah, our latest guest. How may I be of service, Miss Swan?"

"Hi. I'm looking for a place to stay because...of some issues with Granny's, and I was wondering if you could help me out." Emma explained.

"I'm afraid all my properties are leased, Miss Swan, but one of my tenants has been looking for a roommate."

Emma shook her head, "I'm not moving here; I'm only staying the rest of the week."

"Pity." Frustration showed in his eyes. "Storybrooke is a lovely town. I'd hate to see you leave before you saw everything it had to offer."

"What is it with people wanting me to stay in this town," Emma placed her hands on her hips. "First Henry - he's the only reason I bothered to stay; then Priscilla; now you."

Mr. Gold looked surprised, "Priscilla Jefferson? Miss Jefferson asked you to stay in town?" When Emma nodded, he added, "Why?"

She shrugged, "How should I know?"

Mr. Gold's eyes drifted to a painting on the wall behind him, then back to Emma, looking more nervous now. "In any case, my tenant, Miss Blanchard, might be happy to take you in for a few days."

"I don't do roommates," Emma stated. "But thanks anyway."

* * *

Pregnancy wasn't anywhere near as easy as she'd thought it would be. Snow rose from bed to relieve herself for the third time that night, wishing she could just give birth already and be done with it. When she returned to bed, Snow couldn't get back to sleep, so instead she lit a candle and took a walk through the palace.

In the dark quiet of the early morning hours, she floated through the corridors like a ghost until she gazed out of a window and noticed a small figure standing on a balcony, leaning far enough over the bulstraude to catch the spray of ocean waves on their face. The balcony projected from Charming's study. Curious, she went down several flights of stairs and entered.

As she suspected, it was one of the boys, Leo specifically.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Snow ran a hand through her son's damp hair and smiled when he frowned sternly.

He shook his head, "I miss Papa. Why'd he have to leave?"

"You know he's coming back soon." Snow assured him. The six year old boy didn't look convinced, so she continued, "He just had to go to the neighboring kingdom to take care of something. He's just trying too keep all of us safe."

"Safe from what?"

Snow took her son's hand, led him inside, and sat on a couch with him. "One of our friends said a dangerous person was seen in his kingdom, so now your father's trying to find and stop this person before they can hurt us."

"You mean the Evil Queen?" Leo guessed.

Since there was no point trying to lie to him, Snow nodded, "Yes, her."

Leo crossed his arms and scowled again, "Just great. Now Papa's gonna miss my horseback riding lesson because he had find the stupid Evil Queen!"

Snow made a sound that was somehow both a laugh and a sob. If only that were the worst thing that would happen if Regina had truly returned! Leo had no idea what Regina was or what she could do. And certainly not what she had already done to him and his brothers.

Although she tried not to, Snow thought back to that horrible day, to the horrifying sight that would haunt her for years.

The door clicked open and Snow threw her arms around her son defensively. Charming entered his study, exhaustion painted clearly on his strong, handsome features and his clothing splattered with mud and sand. He blinked and his lips stretched in a lazy smile when he realized his wife and son sat before him. "I thought you'd still be asleep."

Leo removed himself from his mother's arms and hugged his father, not caring that he'd soiled his clothing, and Charming kissed the top of his head.

"It's been a rough night," Snow explained. Her heart felt so full after seeing her husband for the first time in almost a month that tears fell from her eyes. "I'm just so glad you're alright. You go freshen up and I'll put Leo to bed."

Leo protested, "But I'm not tired. I want to spend time with Papa."

"And you can do that tomorrow, but I've already let you stay up too late." She got up from the couch.

Charming ruffled Leo's hair, "Listen to your mother," he warned, sensing more resistance.

Leo huffed, but acquiesced and let his mother lead him back to the bedchamber the boys all shared. The castle had enough room for them all sleep separately, but they preferred being together, all curled together at night like puppies. Snow dried his hair, helped him change into a clean night-shirt, and put him to bed with the others. Despite insisting he wasn't tired, Leo fell asleep moments after lying down his head.

She spent a long watching her boys, thinking of who they used to be. They'd had to tell them, eventually; hopefully later rather than sooner.

After closing the door behind her and retreating to her own bedchamber, she waited in bed for Charming. He emerged an hour later, bathed, shaven, and wearing soft, satin robes. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I nearly fell asleep in the tub," he smiled sheepishly.

Snow laughed and pulled on his sleeves, dragging him down into bed with her. Laughing as well, Charming took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers, causing Snow to smile. They lay in each other's arms, relishing each other's presence.

Snow whispered, "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too," Charming kissed her temple, "and you." Then he kissed her baby bump, and when his lips left her skin, the baby inside kicked, almost as if responding to her father. He looked up at his wife in joy and adoration.

"Not going to be much longer," Snow mused. "I have to admit, I'm terrified."

"Of what?" Charming wore Snow's favorite smile, the one that made his eyes so soft that looking into them made her lighter, "We handled raising seven baby boys in the middle of a war. I don't think parenthood can get much scarier than that."

"Is Regina back?" Snow demanded. The moment shattered.

Charming lay silent for a long moment. "No," he said at last, as his soft-eyed smile shifted a tense look.

"David, I swear-"

"She's not!" He insisted, "We spent weeks in the countryside hunting for signs of her and questioned every single person we came across. Nothing."

"Someone claimed to see her." Snow pushed.

"And they were either lying or wrong." Charming took his wife's hands in his, "She terrifies me too, but she's _gone_ , Snow. And if she ever does come back you know I'll do everything in my power to protect you and our children, just as you would."

Snow took several deep breathes, "Maybe you're right and I'm just being paranoid."

"We're not scared teenagers on the run anymore. We've got experience, an army, powerful sorcerers on our side."

"And a lot more to lose," Snow added quietly, placing a hand on round abdomen.

* * *

Just as Flora finished scrubbing the bathtub, the smoke detector went off and, horrified, she scrambled into the kitchen. Her pasta had been burned beyond repaired, which meant eating out. Which meant dipping into the saving's fund for Conner's birthday present. Speaking of Conner...

"Conner!" she yelled into the direction of his room, "I told you to watch the stove!" When she got no reply, she marched to his room and banged on the door. "Conner! You in there?" The door was unlocked and the room was empty.

'He is so grounded,' Flora fumed.

She heard the quavering shrieks of a baby and a hard, fast pounding on her front door. Her next door neighbor, Dawn Thorne, stood on the other side with a deep frown and dark circles under her eyes, holding a wailing seven month old baby on her hip. Her red-brown tresses were caught in a messy bun, through her daughter, Phillipa, keep trying to tug them loose, which would have cute if Dawn didn't have pure murder in her eyes.

"Do you _mind_ keeping it down?" Dawn hissed. "I set Pippa down for a nap _two minutes_ ago but you woke him up. What are you even doing in here?"

"I've had a long afternoon." Flora replied defensively.

Dawn rolled her eyes, "And you're the only one? You and Conner are a nuisance to the entire building."

"Shouldn't you be trying to put your kid to sleep, instead of coming here to insult me?" Flora glared at her.

"I can't put her to sleep because _you_ keep making noise," Dawn returned the glare. The baby's cries increased in volume as if to emphasize her mother's point.

Flora clenched her jaw, then relaxed it. "Trying giving Pippa a warm bath; some babies find that soothing."

"Whatever," Dawn scoff and began turning to leave.

"I'm sorry," Flora admitted once her frustration had cooled enough to let her see that she was being a huge jerk. "Look, I can make something to help her sleep better. My little brother had a lot of trouble sleeping as a baby and our mom used to give it to him all the time."

"Fine," Dawn agreed, her eyes softening. "Was your son a difficult baby too?"

"My _what_?"

Dawn clarified, "Conner."

"Conner's my little brother, not my son. Yeah, I've been raising since he was six, but..."

Dawn suppressed the urge to ask more about Flora's family because she didn't want this conversation any more uncomfortable than it already was. "Oh, okay."

"I'll get it to you tonight. And I could show you how to make it yourself, if you want." Flora offered with a small smile.

An odd feeling spread through Dawn's chest when she saw Flora smile for the first time. "Yeah, I'd like that," she nodded. Pippa yanked hard on a lock of her hair and Dawn once again became cognizant of the fact that she had a fussy baby in her arms. "I should get going."

"Before you go, have you seen Conner around here lately? He wasn't in his room." Flora admitted, "That's what the yelling was about."

"I saw him going somewhere with the Zimmer twins about an hour ago." Dawn stated, "I assumed you knew. Lord knows you keep him on a tight leash."

"I do?" Flora blinked, "Whatever, that's not important right now. Did you see where they were headed?"

"Uhh..." Dawn tried to picture what she had been from her balcony. "North-east, I think? I don't really remember."

"Thanks anyway," Flora's shoulders sagged. "I should let you get back to whatever you were doing."

By now Philly had begun to calm down. Strangely, Dawn didn't want the conversation to end, but she had nothing else to say.

Flora seemed to notice her dilemma, because she offered, "But I could show you the recipe right now; for putting babies to sleep."

Dawn perked up, "Yeah that'd be great."

* * *

As the bright white towers and gleaming orange windows of the winter palace peeked out from the dense mass of fir trees, Snow put out her torch to avoid being seen and traveling the rest of the way by moonlight. Returning to the palace, so close to her the woman who had destroyed her life, with a bounty on her head was the riskiest thing she'd ever done, but she had to see Red; she had to make sure her sister was alright. She hitched her horse to a tree near the Eastern Gate, which opened to a narrow path with rocky, uneven ground on either side. If Regina's soldiers tried to go after her, they'd have to go one at a time unless they didn't mind breaking their horses' legs.

Making sure to watch out for footsteps, Snow felt around the ground until she found the old, wooden trapdoor that led to a closed-off section of the basement. She moved with agonizing caution in the enveloping darkness, not only to avoid getting hurt, but to avoid making any sudden noise that might alert someone to her presence. She keep one hand to the wall to guide herself, doing her best to ignore the thick nets of cobwebs that became entangled themselves in her hair and on her clothes.

After walking for what felt like an hour, she reached the juncture where the basement met the kitchen. The familiar aroma of a royal kitchen nearly overpowered her: hot bread fresh from the oven, roasting meat loaded with spices, fresh fruit and vegetables, even the sweat of the cooks and servers as they labored in the unbearable heat. It brought her back to her days as a princess; hiding from her mother among the servants or playing with Red as the head cook scolded them to go outside or sitting by the ovens with the other palace children telling stories.

Snow blinked away her tears. That life was over.

Because everyone focused on supplying the feast with delicacies and alcohol, Snow slipped up on the back stairs unnoticed with the lightest footsteps she could manage. She crouched under a window and peeked over the edge. From there she could look into the mail ballroom where people danced and conversed. Red sat stiffly on their father's throne, her hands clutching its arms, wrapped in an ornate dark green gown and a mountain of fine jewelry. From the scowl on her face she seemed seconds away from ripped it all of. Regina, no doubt the true ruler of the kingdom, sat beside her wearing an equally dazzling black and purple gown and a satisfied smirked.

A young man bowed before them, presumably to ask Red for a dance, since she shook her head and Regina chastised her for it. Red and Regina had a short argument, which ended with Regina calling for guards to lead Red away. Red's shoulders relaxed; she must have been hoping to leave the party for some time. Snow's eyes focus on her little sister as she walked from the throne and passed through a side exit, out of sight.

She got what she had come for, a glimpse of her sister, but now that she had gotten it, it seemed woefully insufficient. There'd be guards watching Red at all time, so Snow had little hope of getting her sister alone and talking to her. Snow swallowed bitter disappointment and slip back into the shadows. As she retraced her steps, a shabbily dressed girl holding a candle appeared in the hall.

Snow's heart stopped.

The girl's eyes widened but her mouth didn't move for an agonizing moment, but then she said, "I believe you."

"What?" Snow asked. Hearing her our voice reverb through the dark, empty hall made her shiver.

"I know you didn't kill your father, your Majesty" the girl whispered. "Queen Regina lied."

Had she not been in such a precarious situation, Snow would have fallen to her knees weeping. Regina had taken her father, her crown, and her good name and until this moment, only she and those closest to her had known the truth. Everyone else in the kingdom took Regina's claims at face value and let her plop Red onto the throne as a puppet queen, alone and defenseless. Snow never imagined she'd been here, living as a bandit in the wood under an assumed name and breaking into her own home in the dead of night in hopes of catching a glimpse of her sister.

"How do you know that?" Snow dared to ask.

The stranger answered, "I always know when people are lying to me, your Majesty. You should leave before anyone catches you."

"Can you...can you make sure my sister is okay, as okay she could be under these circumstance? And let her know that I love her?"

"Of course, your Majesty," the stranger nodded. "I'd be honored to."

"What is your name?"

"Jun Li."

"I may need your help again someday. Can I count on you?" Snow asked.

"You are the rightful queen, and I'll everything in my power to serve you," Jun Li stated.

* * *

Mary found Emma sleeping in her car that night, while walking Albert Spencer's dog, and offered her a bed, which Emma, after a lot of coaxing, accepted.

* * *

Across town, Regina flipping through the storybook her son was so enamored with, wonder how she'd make him forget about all the awful things it had reveal and go back to being her sweet little boy.

* * *

AN: To Guest reviewer, making Emma and Charming people of color isn't hate toward the original actors. Jennifer and Josh are lovely, but I just felt like doing something different with the characters. In any case my version of Snow isn't white either: she just passes for white (this will be cleared up when I reveal more of her backstory) and doesn't look like Ginny. While not everything is different, a lot of things are: Ashley is Asian, Jefferson is a woman, Regina is older, etc. And there will be additional, more drastic changes later on.


	7. The Warrior

Despise her resolve to get too comfortable, the minute Emma laid down on the bed in Mary's loft, she could picture herself living there. She slept dreamlessly until rays of sunlight hit her face and Mary's birds chirped and sang to greet them. Normally, Emma hated birdsong, but this morning it put her in a good mood. She went over to the large cage that housed them, laughing as they gazed at her curiously.

"Emma?" Mary mumbled, her voice thick with sleep. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize they'd wake you up. I've gotten used to their singing so I barely notice anymore."

Emma assured her, "Really it's no problem. Why don't I make breakfast?"

"You shouldn't because you're my guest and I'm you're host," Mary rose from bed and joined her in the kitchen.

"I like making myself useful." Emma insisted.

"Fine. We can both make breakfast."

While Mary prepared pancakes, Emma started the coffee machine and set the table. The birds continued singing in their cages, though they occasionally paused to observe Mary and Emma having breakfast. As they ate the sun began rising, filling the apartment with pale sunlight.

"I didn't peg you as a bird person." Emma admitting after swallowing a bite of pancakes.

Mary shrugged, "I don't know, it just feels like I've always had them. So, your boss didn't mind that you've taken this extended vacation?"

"I'm my own boss," Emma stated proudly. "Besides, I can do my job from anywhere."

"Which is what, exactly?"

"Private investigator, though sometimes I work with police departments on missing persons cases. I have a knack for finding people."

Mary took a sip of her hot coffee. "That sounds exciting."

"It's really not," Emma snorted. "Shifting through mountains of paperwork, dealing with unhelpful bureaucrats and social workers, clients calling at all hours of the night demanding progress reports - I've needed a vacation for a while, actually."

"Have you ever dealt with adoption cases?" Mary inquired.

"You're asking because of Henry and Regina?"

"I didn't mean to imply-"

"It's okay," Emma made herself smile so Mary wouldn't feel bad. "Yeah, a lot of my clients are birth parents or adoptees, or both. And a handful of adoptive parents searching on their kid's behalf. Though I had one case where a couple actually wanted me to spy on their children's birth mother to make sure she wasn't trying to contact them."

"Wow," Mary's eyes widen. "Why didn't they want her contacting them?"

"I didn't ask; spying's not my forte so I turned them down." Emma explained.

Mary ruminated on Emma's words for a minute before asking, "So what are you going to do while you're in Storybrooke?"

"Just hang around, I think. I haven't really found anything interesting to do here."

"The burden of living in a small town," Mary joked. "Is Henry doing alright?"

"I don't think so." Emma shook her head, "Do you know someone named Priscilla Jefferson?"

"I know _of_ her."

"She came to the diner yesterday and started telling Henry the curse was real and that she believed it."

Mary frowned, "She's a bit of recluse, from what I hear. I wonder what she wants."

"I don't know," Emma shook her head. "I was hoping to ease Henry into the idea that he might be taking the story too seriously, but now Priscilla is actively encouraging him to."

"Maybe you should talk to her." Mary got up and began putting the plates in the sink. "She lives in a mansion on the outskirts of town. Inherited from her parents, I think."

"You're right. I should probably tell Regina, too. As much as I hate dealing with her, she is still Henry's mother."

"If you don't mind me asking, why is Henry so important to you?"

Emma looked down at her hands, then back at Mary, " He reminds me a lot of myself when I was his age. I just feel responsible for him, like if I left I'd be failing him."

"But you're planning to leaving in a couple of days anyway, aren't you?"

Emma didn't respond.

Mary dropped her line of questioning and refilled the bird-feeders as Emma finished her breakfast.

After she showered and got dressed, Emma drive to the mayor's mansion and knocked, hoping she'd get a chance to see Henry before taking to Regina. Fortunately Henry answered, and, upon seeing her he broke out into a grin and hugged her.

"Hey kid, is your mom home?"

"My mom?" Henry's nose wrinkled. "Why would you want to see you _her_?"

"I need to talk to her about... grown up stuff."

"But we're supposed to be making plans for Operation Cobra."

"For what?"

"You know, the plan to break the Evil Queen's curse."

Emma tiled her head, "I'm pretty sure cobras have nothing to do with fairy tales."

"Exactly! She won't suspect a thing." Henry beamed.

"Speaking of your mom, where is she?"

Regina's voice floated from upon the staircase. "Right here." Emma and Henry waited until she reached them. She smiled maliciously, "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

"I need to speak with you in private Madam Mayor."

"Well, if you haven't noticed, I'm very busy rubbing a town and raising my son, not that you're familiar with having responsibilities, so make it quick." She glanced at her son, "Henry, if you don't mind."

The boy rolled his eyes, but left to another part of the house.

"Do you mind telling me what you're doing here?" spat Regina.

Emma ignored her abrasive attitude. "I don't presume to know what's best for Henry, but I'm trying." She checked behind Regina's shoulder, then dropped her voice to make sure Henry couldn't hear. "This woman, Priscilla Jefferson, told Henry the curse was real and I thought you deserved to know."

"I wish I could say I'm surprised," Regina sighed. "Miss Jefferson is unstable; has been for years. You'd do well to stay away from her."

"Oh."

Regina smirked, "I did say that I like to know what's going on in my town. Is that all?"

Emma nodded, "Uh, yeah..."

Regina slammed the door in her face.

* * *

As Ashley walked home from the grocery story, she heard the sound of crashing from her apartment building. As the building came into view, Ashley saw her stepmother callously tossing her things out the kitchen window into the streets below, her face cold and expressionless as she glared down at her.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Ashley shrieked. May ignored her and closed the window.

Hands clenched tight around the bags of groceries, Ashley climbed the three flights of stairs leading to the apartment she would no longer share with her stepmother and half-sister. Inside Julie stood awkwardly in the living room, looking helpless and miserable.

"I tried to stop her..." Julie muttered.

Ashley walked past her and into the kitchen, where May had paused to take a cigarette break.

"Really, you're gonna do that here?" Ashley recoiled in disgust.

May shrugged, "This is my home isn't it? And there won't be any babies in it anyway. Either you go through with the adoption like we planned, or you can try parenting from the gutter."

Instead of responding Ashley dropped the groceries on the counter and went to her and Julie's room to salvage what she could. Her clothed remained untouched, fortunately, but May had destroyed or discarded everything else. She packed what she had left in a suitcase.

"What are you doing?" May demanded as Ashley zipped up the suitcase. "Where the fuck are you gonna go, huh? You are six months pregnant and you have absolutely nothing. Are you seriously doing this?"

Ashley gathered what didn't fit in the suitcase, placed them in a plastic garbage paper, and made for the front door.

May grabbed her arm as she reached for the handle. "Don't be stupid Ashley."

Ashley snarled as the odious cigarette smoke assaulted her senses, "Let go of me."

I know this doesn't seem fair, but I have only ever done what's best for you."

"You've only ever cared about yourself," Ashley hissed.

"You're not fit to raise a child; you're practically a child yourself!" May tightened her grip. "I'm always looking after you, always fixing your mistakes. What do you think I'm doing now? I'm not the bad guy here. The only way I can ever get through to you is with tough love."

"This isn't love." Ashley wretched her hand free and left. As she moved toward the ancient stairs with their peeling paint and rusted handrails, she felt like she was walking on clouds.

When she exited the building, she returned to Earth.

A few things had survived the fall - her books, some cases of makeup, bits of jewelry - but the rest was unsalvageable. As she bend over to pick through the heap for what she could keep, police sirens blared and came closer. Sheriff Graham stepped out and inspected the scene.

"I got a noise complaint from some of the occupants," he stated.

"That was just my stepmother kicking me out," Ashley explained. "It's over now."

Graham grimaced, "I'm sorry to hear that."

"I'll be fine. I'm just gonna stay art Granny's for a while." Ashley replied.

"Okay. I'll let you off with a warning this time. If you ever need something, you know where to find me."

Ashley gave him a small smile, touched by his offer. "Thank you."

* * *

Priscilla heard the car long before she saw it, though for a second she wondered if she just hearing what she wanted to hear. Not once in all her years in this miserable realm had anyone ventured to her remote prison.

A gilded prison, but a prison nonetheless.

She sat on the front porch starting down the narrow lane, whose end seemed to be swallowed by the forest's leafy maw, as a yellow dot few larger and nearer. Priscilla rose from her white wicker chair and walked to the driveway to greet Emma Swan.

"Hey," Emma greeted her. She gazed up at the house, "This is your home? You must have a pretty big family."

Priscilla forced down the bile that was rising from her throat. It wasn't Emma's fault; she didn't know the details of Priscilla's unfortunate relationship with the concept of family. "I live alone," she corrected without emotion in her voice.

"Oh. I need to talk to you about yesterday. What you said to Henry wasn't okay."

"What's the issue?"

Emma crossed her arms, "You outright told him magic was real."

"You're upset because I told him something that was true?" Priscilla tried to imagine why Emma would want to convince Henry that magic wasn't, but no explanation came to mind. She may not have had much experience with it since no one in this realm could use it, but she had have used it as some point.

To her surprise, Emma looked astonished. "You don't honestly believe magic is real, do you?"

It was Priscilla's turn to express shock. "Next you're gonna ask if I believe in the stars, or gravity, or True Love."

"You're not making sense." Emma stepped forward, "His fixation on the curse and the fairy tale realm isn't healthy. I'm trying to help him see that, and you're not helping by encouraging him. He's not gonna give this up if anyone just tells him to, so I'm playing along for now, but giving him false hope will only hurt him in the long run."

"You're the one not making any sense," Priscilla accused. "How could you not believe the curse is real? Henry's book clearly explains what happened."

Emma's mouth hung open for a moment, before she choked out, "It's a _book_. It's all made up."

Patience wearing thin, Priscilla asked, "You know about the Civil War, right?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"How do you know it was real? You weren't there. Did you read about it in a book?"

"That's different," Emma insisted. "This is the real world, not a story."

" _A_ real world. How arrogant are you to believe yours is the only one?" Priscilla corrected.

Emma stepped back, her hand gripping the car door handle, "Well, I can't say that Regina didn't warn me."

Regina. Fuck.

"You're spoke to the Evil Queen?" Priscilla gasped. "What did she say? Did you tell her I was awake?"

"I... that's private."

Priscilla shook her head, "You did, didn't you. I bet she told you not to trust me."

Emma frowned, "Look, just be careful with what you say to Henry."

"I always do," Priscilla announced quietly, watching as Emma got in her car and drove away.

* * *

Dark grey clouds hung low in the sky as Mulan made the solitary trek back to her home village. No one else could be seen for miles and the silence fed a growing sense of unease. She had only her horse for company. As the pair reached the gates of their village, Mulan surveyed her surroundings her any signs of life.

No farmers in the fields, no merchants, no artisans, no carts or wagons, no children playing the streets; nothing.

The balloon of dread popped inside her like a blister. Mulan urged her horse faster and raced to her family home as the unbearable silence followed her like a shadow. The modest house remained intact, with no signs of a battle or attack. She hitched her horse to a post as quickly as she could before running inside, shouting for her father, mother, brother, and grandmother. She tore through each room, and when she had checked everywhere, she ran to the fields behind the house, heart pounding, and called for them again. By now sweat and tears covered her face and she could barely see because her disheveled hair kept falling into her eyes.

'What good is a warrior who could protect her kingdom, but not her own family?' she berated herself. She had gone to war to keep her father from answering the emperor's summons, since her brother was too young to fight, but in doing had left her family without a protector.

She search behind every tree and boulder, to the edges of her family's property, but found nothing. She might as well have dreamed they'd ever been there. As dusk closed in Mulan surrendered and limped back to the house, too tired to cry.

"Big Sister!" a high, clear voice called out to her. Ah Ping, her baby brother, darted through the tall, light brown grass with all the grace of newborn puppy, stumbling and nearly falling every few seconds.

She ran to him and held him close as he cried in her arms. "What happened?"

He wept, "Some bad men came and made everyone leave with them. I hid in the cellar and they didn't find me. Big Sister, I was so scared!"

Mulan smoothed her fingers over his fine black hair, too emotional to speak. She immediately thought back to the day he was born; a tiny, needy pink thing that kept everyone awake with his crying. After years of being the only child, she had felt jealous of the unexpected addition to the family, but now she couldn't imagine not loving him. A tightness of his arms around her neck and the warmth of his cheek against hers grounded her.

She took him back inside, and put him to sleep in her bedroom, before stabling her horse and packing supplies for a long journey. Wherever she turned, she thought she saw her mother, or father, or grandmother standing at her side. The emptiness of the house made her ill at ease and when she finally let herself rest, sleep evaded her.

After her years in the army Mulan had become accustom to waking before dawn but she let Ah Ping sleep a while longer as she retrieve and saddled her horse. She thought of what must have happened to the rest of her family and her heart squeezed painfully at the thought of never seeing them again. When she finally woke her little brother, she washed his face and fed him a simple breakfast of rice and fruit.

"Are we going to find Father, Mother, and Grandmother now?" asked Ah Ping.

"First I need to find somewhere safe for you," Mulan told him. "But I promise, we will get our family back."

Ah Ping frowned. Her answer didn't satisfy him, but he didn't argue.

They mounted Mulan's horse after they had finished eating and left their home behind; for how long no one could say. Mulan distracted them both with stories of her time in the war, smiling fondly as she told him of her old comrades, detailed the battles she had fought in, and remembered the shock that overtook her fellow soldiers when they discovered that she was a girl. It kept less pleasant thoughts at bay.

When the sun had reached the highest point in the sky, the siblings stop to rest under a ginkgo tree. Before moving on, Mulan lifted Ah Ping onto her shoulders to pick some of its nuts for the journey ahead. When they had collected and put aside a sizable amount, and she let him down, the horse let out a loud sequel.

Mulan instinctively pushed Ah Ping behind her and reached for her sword, pulled out a sliver of the sharpened steel as a warning. "Announce yourself!" she demanded.

"No need to resort to violence," a man in mud-splattered rags approached them from the bushes, flanked for three others. Two of the men carried heavy axes, another had a broken scythe, and the who had spoken clenched at rusty dagger.

"I want to believe that," Mulan replied, though she didn't loosen her grip on the hilt of her sword. She knew she could easily defeat any one of them, but she was only one warrior against four. "What do you want?"

"Just trying to get from one place to another," the man shrugged and his lips pulling back in a yellow-toothed smile, "same as you, it seems."

Mulan gave a short nod, "Then we all better be on our way."

The man raised a hand, "But first...we're in need of funds and supplies."

There is was. Mulan sneered, "Then you'll have to look elsewhere." Her heart rate spiked, but she calmed herself as she learned to do before a battle. The men with the axes would be the most dangerous; a broken scythe was a clumsy weapon and not too much of a worry; but if she took out their leader first, the others might lose heart and leave her and Ah Ping alone.

The man with the broken scythe lunged for her, but in seconds Mulan effortlessly blocked his attack, flipped him to the ground, and tossed his weapon aside. She wanted to glance behind her to make sure Ah Ping was okay, but she couldn't take her eyes off her opponents.

The leader's face tightened; he hadn't been expecting a real challenge.

Mulan correctly guested the men with the axes would be after next, both at the same time, and dodged their attacks, knocking one into the other. The who had held the broken scythe barreled into her, knocking the air from her lungs, but blood erupted from his mouth and onto her face. She raised her sword in time to stab him and the red-black blade protruded from his back. As Mulan struggled to free herself from the weight of the dying man's body, the two other men dropped their weapons and fled, their frantic footsteps faint by the time Mulan got up.

The bandit leader raced to the Ah Ping's hiding spot behind the ginkgo tree and grabbed the little boy. He tilted Ah Ping's chin up with his dagger, handing trembling but eyes determined.

Mulan almost admired his resolve.

"You take another step and you're boy's dead!" he howled.

"Let him go first."

The bandit chuckled, "You must think I'm a fool."

She did.

The other bandit let out a loud, wet cough and expired, the sound of his last breath seeming to echo through the long grass. Mulan shuddered as images from a red and black battlefield resurfaced in her mind. At least those men had died for something: their emperor, their families, their homes. This man had died for household tools and a week's worth of food.

Mulan sheathed her sword and dropped it on the ground in front of her, "Take whatever you want; please just let him go."

"No, you can't surrender!" Ah Ping shouted. The little boy shoved the bandit's hand away.

In that instant Mulan felt as if someone had shoved their hand down her throat and ripped out her heart. She sprinted across the field faster than a hare fled a fox with no thought in her head but the nightmare of her brother's lifeless, blood-splattered body.

Ah Ping ducked as the bandit tried to swing the dagger at him and before he could tried again, Mulan lunged on top of him, tossed the dagger as far she could, and punched him. The bandit tried to yank at her hair, but it was too short for him to get a good grip and Mulan punched him again.

"Get the rope!" Mulan commanded her brother. "We're taking him to the authori-"

The bandit managed to twist and wrestle himself, throwing Mulan from on top of him, and tried to run, but she grabbed both of his ankles. As Ah Ping returned with the rope and the sword, the bandit reached for something in his coat, a small, translucent bean, and threw it to the ground in front of him.

A dark green vortex flourished into existence, a hungry, gaping mouth where there had once been solid earth. The smooth, strong wind sucked them in, the bandit and warrior and child falling to another realm.

* * *

AN: To Guest reviewer, thank you for your kind words and support. I'm happy to hear you're enjoying the story and speculating on things. I'll clear a few things up for you: Snowing's sons are all adopted (Emma is her first pregnancy). Rose Red and Little Red Riding Hood are the same person here; Ruby is Snow's sister in addition to being her best friend. That's all I can say for now, but more will be revealed about the family later.


	8. Blood and Bone

Red rested her head against the side of the carriage, eyes closed though she was not asleep. Mother had ordered that the royal court move to the Summer Palace, and though the preparing for the move had taken more than a week of exhausting effort, Red couldn't rest. A maid named Jun Li had come to her the morning after the ball and told that Snow came to see her, news that made Red want to weep.

She didn't want her sister risking her life just to see her; she wasn't worth it. Snow should have left the kingdom and started a new life somewhere far away, finally free of their mother.

A violent jolt startled everyone in the carriage and Mother cursed. When the carriage abruptly stopped, Mother got out and began yelling at the coachman while Red closed her eyes again and waited.

Mother stepped back inside and roughly shook her, "The wagon hit a rock and one of the wheels broke. The coachman is sending for a wheelwright, but it'll be morning before one arrives, so we're stuck here until them."

"Can't you just use magic to fix it?" Red asked. Until her mother and sister, Red didn't inherit the ability to create her own magic, so she paid attention to lessons of the finer details of magic.

Mother glared and hit her on the side of her head, "Do you think we'd still be here if I could? Use your head for once."

"Why not? It's light magic, isn't it." Red pushed.

"I don't want to hear another word out of you," Mother hissed, then looked away from her.

Red frowned. Now that the subject had come up, she couldn't remember her mother using magic in years, not since Father died. Red had little doubt that Mother killed him, even before Jun Li confirmed it to her, and she wondered if that had anything to do with her mother's lack of magic.

While Mother tapped her long, red-painted fingernails against the carriage windowsill, Red put on a white fur cloak, place her boots back on, and opened the carriage door, grinning as the cold wind tangled her hair and carried snowflakes fluttering inside. Outside the full moon lay behind a thin patch of clouds with a certain endearing shyness.

"Where are you going?" Mother demanded.

Red shrugged, "Just stretching my legs; we've been in that carriage for hours."

Mother turned away again "Just don't go too far and take Jun Li with you," she droned.

Outside, Red wandered the makeshift camp as like any ordinary, curious child would. Being only fourteen, Red served more as a crown for her mother than a queen in her own right, and though everyone treated her the respect a queen was owed, no one took her seriously as a monarch. That was fine by her; she had never felt like a real queen anyway.

Jun Li followed her like a shadow with the torch, making small talk and occasionally catching her when she slipped on the slippery, icy ground. Red wondered about Jun Li; she knew she had come from another realm, was loyal to her sister, and had no family to speak of, but nothing else. When Red tried to talk to Jun Li about her past, Jun Li would smile sadly and say it was a story for another time - a time that never seemed to come, apparently.

As Red strolled beyond the view of the others, Jun Li took her hand and said, "Queen Regina told you know to wander too far away."

"I'm so glad to know she cares," Red rolled her eyes. "I want to be alone a minute, Jun Li. Please."

Jun Li frowned, but replied, "I'll be here."

Red thanked her. After she had gone a little further into the forest - still close enough for Jun Li to hear her - Red took a took breath, watched the misty cloud form and let the tears run from her eyes. She didn't often get the privilege of being alone (not with her mother keeping spies everywhere in the palace, filling her days with lessons and ceremony, and ordering maids to sleep in her bedroom) and she relished the chance to feel like herself, if only for a little while. She hadn't known how much precious privacy was until she no longer had it.

"Snow White," Red whispered, hoping against common sense her sister could somehow hear her, "Please get out of here. There's nothing you can do to stop Mother. Just don't let her catch her."

"Your Majesty, we ought to return to the carriage." Jun Li's voice echoed through the crystalline trees along with the soft orange glow of her torch, jerking Red awake like someone pulled from the bottom of a lake.

Red rubbed her face clean as she returned to her maid, hoping vainly Jun Li wouldn't notice. Jun Li looked uncharacteristically distracted when Red saw her again, brown eyes darting from corner to corner.

"Something wrong?"

Jun Li immediately fixed her face into a neutral expression, "Nothing; I thought I saw something moving through the trees, but it may have just been a hare. Let's get back."

As the bell rang Mary's student swept their belongings off their desk and into their bags and she shook her head fondly as they got up to leave. Only Henry Mills took his time, so she suspected he wanted to talk to her after class. All had happened to him in the last few weeks and Mary couldn't help but feel partially responsible. After all, she'd given him that book of fairy tales and housed the woman who brought him back when he ran away, the woman he believed would break the curse.

"Hey Miss Blanchard, would you mind doing me a favor?" Henry asked.

"Sure Henry. What do you need me to do?"

Henry placed his storybook on her desk, "Can you read this to the coma patient at the hospital? I have a theory that if the stories might wake him up; especially your story."

"Henry-"

"Please," he begged. "Emma and I aren't getting anywhere with Operation Cobra but we might if you help us. You're Snow White after all."

Mary pursed her lips, then smiled when she saw the opportunity presented to her, "You really think this'll work?"

"Not for sure, but it's worth a try."

"Possibly, but he might not wake up because he's not actually Prince Charming."

"I'm sure he is," Henry stated.

"If he's Prince Charming and I'm Snow White, then it'll definitely wake up because nothing's stronger than true love. But if he doesn't..."

Henry frowned, "Then this might all be a mistake."

Mary ruffled his hair, "We won't know until we try, won't we?"

"I guess not," Henry beamed at her. "Thanks for wanted to help Miss Blanchard. I better get outside before I miss my bus."

"Have a good afternoon, Henry," Mary told him as he walked out of the door. When she was alone, she picked up the book and traced the gold letters on the front with her finger. How could this have caused so much trouble?

That on during her shift at the hospital, she sat beside John Doe's for hours, watching him remain still and silent as she recounted King Leopold and Queen Regina's unhappy marriage, the birth of their daughters, Snow White and Rose Red's encounter with the shepherd boy-turned-bear, Leopold's murder, and Snow White's exile. When Mary's eyes began feeling heavy and time crawled as slow as molasses, she reached the part where David woke her from the sleeping curse with True Love.

John Doe grabbed her hand.

Mary's drowsiness vanished like someone had dunked ice water on her head. Her eyes grew misty as she stared at his hand; his large, warm fingers curled around her wrist like they belonged there; her hand pleasantly warm. A warm sensation spread under her skin, some deep, unexplainable need to press her lips to his. She placed her other hand on top of his and leaned in, just as Henry's book slid from her lap onto the hospital floor, the gentle thud bringing her out of the moment.

What the hell was she thinking? She couldn't kiss a patient!

A low, gentle groan emitted from John Doe's desk and Mary quickly got up to fetch a nurse. But by the time she returned with Nurse Rojas and Dr. Whale, John had returned to his inanimate state.

"Are you sure he woke up?" Dr. Whale asked. "You may have just been imagining things - it is pretty late."

Mary shook her head, "I know what happen. He reached out and touched me, and I thought he was waking up."

"Well, his vitals haven't changed. I see someone was really hoping this handsome man would wake up," Nurse Rojas winked to Mary; Mary's face and ears practically burst into flames. Panic smashed against her chest as she wondered if they'd somehow read her mind and knew she had come close to kissing him (something that would no doubt get her kicked out of the volunteer program) but the mild expressions on their faces assured her otherwise.

Dr. Whale rolled his eyes, then placed a hand of Mary's shoulder, "You've done enough tonight. You should go home and get some rest."

After a moment Mary finally accepted that they weren't going to believe her, so she faked a grateful smile and nodded.

The next morning, she showed up to class bright and early despite her lack of sleep and let Henry pull her aside before class began.

"Did it work?!" Henry bounced on the balls of his feet and looked up at her expectantly.

Mary grimaced, "He didn't wake up...but he almost did."

Henry nodded, "Then it's working. You should try again tonight."

"Maybe," Mary patted his back as she led him to his seat.

Although she tried to be present for her students, her mind kept wandering to the John Doe in the hospital and the intense emotions he stirred up in her. After the school day ended, Mary attended a mandatory staff meeting that, in her opinion, could have just been substituted for with email; new safety regulations and next year's budget and things like that. The sun had set by the time Mary could return to the hospital to check up on Dr. Whale's most mysterious patient. Nurse Rojas had been crossing a corridor when she saw Mary put on her volunteer badge, and approached her.

The older woman called, "Miss Blanchard! Did the patient say anything to you last night?"

Mary blinked and realized she was referring to the John Doe, "You believe me now? What made you change your mind?"

"He's missing," Nurse Rojas explained. "Another nurse went to check his vitals ten minutes ago but he was gone. We think he woke up while someone wasn't looking and wandered off. If that is the case, he'll be daze and confused; he might hurt himself or someone else. Did he say anything that might give us a clue where to find him?"

"He didn't say anything; I don't think he even fully woke up."

"But he responded to you?"

"Without a doubt," Mary confirmed.

"Okay, then you could be a big help finding him, if he recognizes and responds to your voice. "

Mary agreed and began scouring the hospital with the rest of the staff. They tore Storybrooke General Hospital inside out - twice - trying to find John Doe, but the man remained missing. Getting desperate, as Dr. Whale contacted the police department, Mary called Emma and asked her expertise, after apologizing for asking a favor like that in the middle of the night. Emma was happy to oblige, fortunately, and showed up fifteen minutes later.

"Has anyone checked the security footage?" Emma asked the moment she walked through the hospital's glass front door and saw Mary, Dr. Whale, and Nurse Rojas discussing their next move. Awkward silence greeted her. "I'll take that as a 'no'."

Ten minutes later, the search party went to the woods armed with flashlights and searched the forest for John Doe before something happened to him. Emma suggested they search near the stream, but the other weren't keen on it, so she and Mary went off on their own.

Before long, Mary shined her flashlight on a figure lying face-down on the forest floor and it took a moment for her to realize what it was, "Oh my god, that's him!"

By the time Emma got over to them, Mary had already flipped him over and begun CPR. "I'll get the others," Emma said, "Just make sure he stays breathing."

After a few minutes had passed and Mary almost gave up, John Doe suddenly coughed violently, exhaling water as he gasped air, his eyes wide and unfocused. "Hey, it's okay," Mary soothed, "You're gonna be okay."

John Doe's breathing lowered to a steady, easy pace and he looked up at her in awe. "What happened? Where are were?" He squeezed her hand, and Mary's heart somersaulted.

'Not again,' she groaned internally.

"You were in an accident and got into a coma for years. Tonight you, I guess, sleepwalked out of the hospital and ended up in the stream. I'm Mary Margaret Blanchard. Do you remember your name?"

Surprisingly, John Doe became morose. "I remember. My name is David."

While Mary, Dr. Whale, and the nurses fussed over the former coma patient, apparently named David Nolan, Emma picked up her things from Dr. Whale's office. Once she closed the door, she bumped into an older black woman wearing a coat over her nightdress and a floral scarf around her head, though some storm cloud-grey curls rested against her broad, smooth forehead. Her work-roughened hands fiddles with the coat buttons and her eyes were misty.

"Excuse me, I just got a call saying my son was here," the woman asked Emma.

"David Nolan, the coma patient?"

The woman bit her lip, "I think so. Dear God, I can't believe he was here the whole time and I never knew." Her voice crackled with guilt and Emma felt the urge to hug her.

Instead she asked, "What do you think happened to him? I mean, he's been here for years but nobody seemed to know who he was"

"David was from out of town and had never been to Storybrooke before. We don't see each other often because he doesn't get along with Albert -my husband, his stepfather - so it never occurred to me that he might have come to visit; it was very uncharacteristic for him to show up unannounced anyway. Something must have happened to him before he got to us, maybe an accident."

"Something indeed." Emma wanted to groan when she heard the mayor's smug voice from down the hall. Regina's heels clicked as she approached them. "Mrs. Spencer, had I known it was your son I rescued, you know I would have told immediately."

"Of course Madam Mayor; you've always been so good to my family." Mrs. Spencer took both Regina's hands in hers and smiled, "Thank you for what you've done for my boy."

"She wasn't even here," Emma protested.

Regina smirked, "You are aware that not everything revolves you, Miss Swan? That we all had lives before you showed up? I found David Nolan unconscious near my home years ago. That's why I'm here - I was his emergency contact."

Emma looked away, but refused to be embarrassed. Yet another case where she knew that Regina was lying about something, but couldn't tell what because Regina wrapped her lies around the truth with practiced skill. Her superpower had been pretty much useless since she got to Storybrooke.

"You've both helped my son in ways I can't repay, so thank you." Mrs. Spencer touched Emma's shoulder.

"You should thank Mary Blanchard, Mrs. Spencer," Emma replied, "She found him and gave him CPR."

"Sweetheart, call me Ruth. Yes, I'll be sure to thank Mary as well. If you'll please excuse me, I need to be with David."

Regina looped her arm around Ruth's, "I'll be happy to take you him."

Red woke up to a persistent ache in her side that burned under her skin whenever she took a breath. Her eyes creaked open and a pained moan escaped her lips as her crawled her away to consciousness.

"Take it easy, dear," a warm, familiar voice came from across the room. "You were seriously injured." Widow Lucas rose from the hearth where she had been stroking a fire and sat on a chair by her side.

Despite the pain Red smiled widely. She had since Widow Lucas since her mother fired her years ago. "Hi," she strained to say.

"Don't wear yourself out," Widow Lucas smoothed her hair.

"What happened?"

Widow Lucas took a deep breath, "Two days ago, a young woman dragged her into my village saying you'd been attacked by a werewolf.

"Jun Li?"

"She said her name was Dorothy."

Red's eyes widened in horror and she sat straight up, caused another wave of pain the, "What happened to Jun Li? Is she alright?"

"I wish I knew, sweetheart, but Dorothy didn't mention anyone else," Widow Lucas apologized.

"It was my fault," Red whimpered as tears filled her eyes, "I wanted to go into the woods, to get away from everyone else, and she came to along to look after me. Now she's..."

Widow Lucas took a handkerchief from her apron pocket and wiped Red's eyes, "You shouldn't blame yourself for what that werewolf chose to do. Whoever they were, they chose to attack to innocent young girls for whatever reason, but it had nothing to do with you."

"I want to believe that but..."

"Just try to get some rest," Widow Lucas told her. "I'll send a message to Queen Re-"

"No!" Red shook her head frantically, "No, no please don't do that, please don't send me back to my mother."

Widow Lucas's face tightened. She knew Queen Regina didn't have the best relationship with her children, but she never imagined that either of them were truly afraid of her. "I-I have to."

"I can't go back there, I can't, you can't let her find me," Red pleaded. "She killed Father and she might kill me next."

Widow Lucas made up her mind. When neighbors came around and saw Red, Widow Lucas told them she was her granddaughter, Eva, who had come to live with her. Not many people knew what the royal family looked like and Widow Lucas had shared only a few details of her past when she moved there, so everyone easily accepted the lie. For the following few weeks, Red stayed abed convalescing, though she was determined to get back on her feet soon and dissolve into her new life as Eva Lucas.

Until one night, when the full moon shone in the skin, and a slim, dark grey scratched its way out of Widow Lucas' cottage. The next morning the villagers found their new neighbor lying naked in the forest, half-frozen and unconscious. It didn't take long for the news that the Lucas girl had been turned into a werewolf to spread and Red became the village pariah. Already, the mayor began making plans to keep her chained up during the next full moon.

Widow Lucas refused to tolerate that treatment of the child she was sheltering.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Red whispered, shivering despite the thick white fur coat blanketing her.

"We don't have any better options," Widow Lucas warned. She took a deep breath, "Dark One, I summon thee."

The forest was silent for a while. Red began, "Do you think it-"

"He, dearie. I'm not an 'it', contrary to popular belief." a high-pitch male voice crackled behind them. The old woman and the young girl spun around and faced the Dark One, an imp of a man with thick, grey-green scales covering his skin. "Not many people are brave enough to say my name, so you must really want something."

"My granddaughter-"

The Dark One led out a long, high giggle, "Really dearie, you think I don't know royalty when I see it? You're hiding the queen in that backwater little village of yours."

"I'm not the queen, my sister is!" Red protested.

The Dark One made a vague gesture and scoffed, "Ugh, details. Now, why have you called me?"

Widow Lucas glowered at the Dark One, "A werewolf attacked Rose Red and turned her into a werewolf as well. You what the means of her; everyone fears her, they want to make her prisoner during the full moon, she's treated differently."

"And how is any of that my problem?" the Dark One shrugged.

After stopping herself from walking over to him and slapping the smirk right of scaling face, Widow Lucas explained, "I want you to change her back into a human girl."

"I'm afraid not even my magic's that dark, dearie, but I can do the next best thing." He walked over to Red under Widow Lucas's skeptical eye and pulled the hood of her white cloak over her face. The fabric his hand touched turned cherry red and the vivid color spread like blood in water until not a stitch remained white. "This cloak is now enchanted to keep the little princess here human on the night of the full moon, as long as she's wearing it of course."

"Thank you," Red smiled.

"Oh, I don't work for free - all magic comes with a price."

"I don't have any gold; I gave up all the royal luxuries."

The Dark One laughed aloud again, "When you've been around as long as I have, you learn that gold is the most worthless thing around. No, all I want is you blood."

Widow Lucas's entire body went cold, "For blood magic?" She instantly regretted her plan since she knew having Red's blood would give the Dark One unimaginable power over her, but the exchange had already begun and there was no turning back. Blood magic was dark and she couldn't trust the Dark One not to abuse it.

"For a vampire friend of mine; he loves royal blood, can't get enough of it," The Dark One winked.

Red sensed he was lying, but she knew didn't have a choice. She held out her hand, trying not to tremble as the Dark One pulled a small dagger and an empty vial from his coat. He cut a thin line down the side of her palm and let the blood drip into the vial as Red whimpered from the stinging pain and Widow Lucas looked on with trepidation. When the vial was half-full, he put his belongings away and healed Red's hand, as if he'd never cut it in the first place.

"Now, that wasn't so bad was it?" he asked, with an oddly warm note to his words. He kissed Red's knuckles before releasing her hand at last. "You're a good child, and you deserve some peace after all that's happened to you. I hope that cloak serves you well, Princess Rose Red."


	9. Lady and Serpent

Regina opened the door to Henry's room and poked her head inside, "Hey sweetie, how's the homework coming?"

He flinched, startled, and looked at her through suspicious eyes. "Fine," he stated bluntly.

"You sure you don't need my help?" Regina leaned into the room, and her eyes scanned it for any undone chores.

"Nope." He dropped his gaze back to his textbook as Regina stood awkwardly in the doorway, not sure what to say to him.

"Well...if you need me..."

When Henry didn't reply, Regina gave up and went back downstairs. He slipped farther and father away every minute and Regina had no idea how to get him. She tried buying him comic books and video games, which he accepted without enthusiasm; she tried getting home earlier to spend more time with him; she even tried convincing him that Emma Swan was a con artist trying to take advantage of them; but nothing worked. Henry knew the truth and she couldn't convince him otherwise.

Why should he care what she had done in the past, anyway? That was all years before he was even born. Didn't that book tell him about her mother, or Daniel, or Alexander, or Leopold? About how his precious Snow White had torn down all her hopes of a happy life? Snow and Red hated her because she killed their father, that much she could understand, even if he wasn't worth an ounce of the effort they put in avenging him, but Henry had grown up with nothing but love and comfort. The book had planted the seed, but someone or something was watering it, and she had to tear it root and stem. She had to get her little boy back.

As she went into the kitchen to fetch herself a much-needed glass of wine, the doorbell rang. Regina answered it, wondering who had the nerve to bother her at this hour. Rumplestiltskin, of course. He refused to admit it, but Regina knew the little imp was awake.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Regina tapped her long, glossy fingernails against the door frame.

Mr. Gold, as he preferred to be called in this realm, replied, "As your attorney, I've come to let you know that the adoption is off."

"Bullshit," spat Regina, "Henry's mine now and there's nothing that little faux-blonde whore can do to change that. I don't care what she knows, he's _my_ son. If she thinks she can just waltz in here in and take him away from me, she's dangerously mistaken."

"What on Earth are you talking about?" Mr. Gold narrowed his eyes, "I was referring to Ashley Bao. She recently moved out of her stepmother's place because she changed her mind about giving you her unborn baby and the Lucas family was gracious enough to take her in."

Shit, Regina groaned internally. She had completely forgotten that under the curse, she was the would-be adoptive mother of Ashley Bao's child. It's not as though she ever expected Ms Bao to give birth, since time didn't move. "Miss Bao is changing her mind?"

"She had a fight with her stepmother a few days ago and come to my office saying the deal was off," Mr. Gold explained. "You thought I was talking about Henry's birth mother? I thought his was a closed adoption. How do you know his birth mother?"

"I did some digging," Regina answered evasively, "to make sure she wasn't some kind of criminal or lunatic; you can never be too careful."

Mr. Gold shrugged, "I suppose not. But how do you intend to deal with Ashley Bao?"

* * *

The next morning, Emma and Mary woke up early to meet Henry at Granny's before school started. He was already waiting for them in a booth when they arrived and had ordered a stack of pancakes and three hot chocolates with cinnamon.

"Hey kid," Emma ruffled his hair, "You okay? You seem kinda down."

Henry blinked, "Do I? It's nothing."

The women shared a look. Mary said, "You know you can tell us anything, right?"

He checked their surroundings to make sure nobody heard them, "It's my mom - she's trying to adopt Ashley's baby. We can't let her."

"I'm surprised you don't want a little brother or sister," Mary replied.

"What he means is, Ashley doesn't want to place the baby for adoption and he's scared his mom will force her to," Emma explained.

Ruby arrived with their breakfast in time to catch Emma's words. "She can't force Ashley do anything she doesn't want to," Ruby cut in forcefully. "Granny and I are taking care of things."

"How is she?" Henry asked.

"Fine." Ruby grimaced, "It's a tight fit and we're a little low on funds, but things'll work out. I think Ashley will make a great mother."

"And we'll all be there to support her." Mary nodded to Ruby, who smiled in gratitude. Sensing that Emma wanted to speak to Henry alone, Mary got up and made the excuse that she had to go to the bathroom and Ruby moved on to other customers.

"Do you want one, though?" Emma addressed Henry.

"What?"

She took a bite of her pancake, "A brother or sister?"

Henry shrugged, "It would be nice to be alone anymore, but I don't wouldn't wish my mom on my worst enemy."

The soft, buttery piece of pancake slide down Emma's throat like a rock falling down a narrow metal pipe. If Henry was afraid of his mother mistreating another child, did that mean she was mistreating him?

When she was sure nobody was eavesdropping, Emma finally asked the question that had been haunting her since she got to Storybrooke, "Does your mother hurt you?"

"No," Henry replied automatically; Emma wished she felt reassurance. "But she hurts everyone else and keeps getting away with it. She put everyone under a curse, she's trying to take Ashley's baby, she made Sidney tell everyone what happened to you in prison."

"You saw that? Please tell me you're not scarred for life."

"I'm fine," Henry confirmed. "Do you think...is it possible..."

"C'mon, spit it out."

He didn't look her in the eye, his voice so low Emma almost didn't hear him, "That maybe your baby didn't die? Maybe I _am_ your son after all?"

"Kid..." Emma slumped in her seat. She couldn't deny the evidence - Henry had been born around the same time she gave birth, she never saw a body, and he looked like her ex-boyfriend - but she couldn't wrap her mind around the idea that the hospital flat-out lied to her and stole her kid. She had spent all this time mourning his too-short life; she couldn't mourn a life spent without her. "I..."

"Okay, I'm back." Mary's chipper tone broke the mood as she returned from the bathroom. "We better finish these before we're late."

"We'll talk about it later," Emma told Henry.

The three of the dove into their food and spoke of lighter topics, like David Nolan's recovery. When Mary and Henry had finished and left for school, while Emma remained at the booth, the sheriff approached her.

"Nice work last night," he smiled at her, "with the Nolan case."

Emma shrugged, "Just doing what I can to help."

Sheriff Graham pulled a business card from his vest pocket, "Well you're certainly impressed me. I think you can be a great asset to our police department."

If they hadn't been in public, Emma would have laughed out loud. Her? A cop? "I already have a job."

"Private investigator? There's not much use for those in a town where everyone know everyone's business." Sheriff Graham raised his eyebrows playfully.

"Who says I'm staying?" Emma challenged.

"Henry Mills. And common sense." Graham smiled. "We have dental."

Emma smirked and accepted the card, "I'll think about it."

* * *

David woke up when Wilby jumped on his bed and began licking his face. "Hey," he brushed the bushy little shepherd dog aside, "I'm awake, you can stop." Wilby bounced on the foot of the bed, his tail wagging rapidly and his long, pink lolling out of his mouth.

After he rose from bed, David took a moment to examine his new surroundings. Some trace of Regina's curse lingered in his mind, giving him an understanding of the new world she had taken him to and the new life she had given him, but that didn't mean this situation didn't deeply disturb him. Snow didn't know who he was, all his children were missing, and his mother had become a stranger. Under the curse, his mother went by the same name, behaved the same, and spoke the same (expect for some odd phrases he didn't quite understand), but so much about her didn't fit; chiefly, that she had married King George (or Albert Spencer as the curse had renamed him), off all men. She was his mother, but she wasn't _his_ mother.

Once he finished getting ready for the day, David made his way downstairs where his mother and King George...Albert Spencer...were eating breakfast.

"Good morning sweetheart, how are you feeling?" Ruth beamed.

David kissed her on the forehead and answered, "Better than yesterday." He sat at the table across from Spencer, restraining himself from punching the man square in the jaw for he'd done. Mother set down a cup of piping hot black liquid that he knew to be coffee, though he had no idea how it tasted. He took a tentative sip, but yelped as the bitter liquid stabbed his tongue.

Ruth smiled wearily, "The doctors mentioned it would take a while for you to feel like yourself again, and to get all your memories back."

"Yeah, maybe," David muttered.

Spencer rose from the table, "I have to get to work." He kissed Ruth on the cheek as David resisted the urge to vomit and walked out the door.

When she noticed the look of disgust on David's face, Ruth went over and gently squeezed his shoulder, "I know Albert might seem like he doesn't care, but you know he has a hard time showing how he really feels."

"No Mom, he's perfectly clear," David scoffed. His appetite left him and he got up too. "I need to see Mary Blanchard."

"She's got work too," Ruth told him. "Besides, I thought we could spend the day catching up, as much you're able to, and work on those physical therapy exercises Dr. Whale sent you. After breakfast, obviously."

David answered with a bittersweet smile.

* * *

"How are you holding up?" Ruby asked Ashley when she returned from cleaning up after a couple who had come to Granny's to get away from their respective spouses.

Ashley tossed her bag on her new bed. "Exhausted," she groaned, "but doing fine."

Granny had been kind enough to let her stay in one of the inn's rooms free of charge, but the tiny room was a place to sleep only for a few nights, not a home to raise a child in. One bed dominated the most of the space, framed by a plain dresser on one side and a tiny bathroom on the other. There wasn't much space left over for a crib, or other baby stuff.

While Ashley changed out of her work clothes, Ruby sat on the bed going over the list of things they needed to get before the baby arrived. Most parents had months to get things in order, but since Ashley had only recently decided to keep her baby, they were scrambling and had no plans.

"I'm thinking of asking the Johnsons if I could buy their son's crib. He's almost three years so he won't need it much longer." Ashley stated.

"Sounds like a plan," Ruby nodded. "So, are you gonna bottle-feed or breastfeed?"

"Breast-feed, obviously," Ashley shrugged, "Why pay for something that comes out of my tits for free?"

Ruby laughed, "Good point. But if you plan on pumping breast-milk you'll have to do it on your break."

A knocked on the door interrupted them, and when Ashley opened the door, her stomach turned to ice and feel to the ground. "M-madam Mayor," she stammered.

Regina Mills's cool brown stare glazed over Ashley, Ruby, the small, bare room and her red-painted lips curled into a sneer. "So, this is where you think my baby should grow up?"

"It's not your baby," Ruby barked, "The adoption's off."

"That's where you're wrong," Regina's smirked widen as she handed Ashley a folder. "You signed on the dotted line and I'm holding you to your promise. If you don't hand over that child when it's born, I'll just sue you for custody." She gave Ashley one last smile, teeth gleaming like a shark that had found it's prey, and turned to walk out.

"You can't do that!" Ashley protested.

Regina turned back, "I can do whatever I want, and I'm sure Henry will love to have a younger sibling."

Ruby got up from the bed, "Hey, don't let her get to you."

"How am I suppose to fight this?" Ashley cried. Eyes wide, tears threatening to escape her eyes, her heart pounded and her hands shook. "She's powerful, she's wealthy-"

"And she's a fucking bitch," Ruby interrupted. "She already has one kid who can't stand her and keeps running away, so do you really think this baby will better off with her?"

"Of course not, but I can't fight her. I'm scraping by as is, I can't afford a lawyer. And even if I win, I sure as hell won't have enough left over to take care of this baby."

"You know Granny and I will take care of you," Ruby gripped Ashley's shoulder reassuringly.

Ashley shook her head and the tears began to fall in earnest. "You two can't save me from everything. Crap, Mr. Gold's her lawyer; you know, your landlord?"

"I hadn't thought of that." Ruby quietly admitted.

A harsh sob burst through Ashley's lips, "She's got me cornered. I was so stupid to think I had any control over my life."

"You _weren't_ ," Ruby insisted. "You finally got away from your stepmother; that's got to count for something."

"Maybe," Ashley wiped her eyes. "But I only did that so I could keep my baby, and I'm gonna lose it anyway."

"Don't sell yourself short," Ruby pulled her into a hug, "You did something brave and I couldn't be more proud of you. Look, you're tired and emotional; get some rest and we can figure this out in the morning, okay?"

Ashley pushed her hair out of her eyes, "I think I need to go for a walk."

She left Ruby behind and stepped into the alley behind the inn, taking a deep breathe and struggling not to start sobbing aloud. Despite Ruby's encouragement she felt lost and scared and hopeless. Ashley touched her baby belly, wondering if the mayor would ever let her see the child or constantly rub it in her face that she wasn't fit to be a mother - she wasn't sure which she dreaded more.

When heavy footsteps approached her, Ashley quickly wiped her eyes again and tried to put a straight face. Teddy Mishra walked by, his arms loaded with groceries, and smiled at her, then was gone before she could smile back. As she returned to her pity party, Teddy came back around, this time with empty-handed.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked, his tone pure, gentle concern.

Ashley swallowed, "I'm fine."

"You sure you don't need anything?"

She shook her head, "It's nothing you can help me with anyway."

"Well," he came over and have her a brief, light hug, "if you ever feel like talking about it, you're always welcome to cry on shoulder."

Her lips twitched into a smile despite her effort not to do so, "Thank you Teddy. You should get home."

He nodded, his eyes lingering on her baby bump for just a moment longer than usual, then he turned back and returned to his truck.

* * *

The steady pounding of his steed's hooves against the hard-packed earth kept Prince Nagaraj awake as he rode to King George's palace. A light rain dripped onto his head and shoulders, but he paid no attention to it. His father and mother's words echoed in his head as the golden spires of the palaces came into view, and they crept up in his mind like a rising tide.

After his birthday his parents told him how he came to be their son. He had always known he was adopted and that fact had never bothered him, but only now did they confess he hadn't been a normal child. His childhood nurse, whom he called Auntie even though she was only his aunt by affection, had found a snake in her garden one morning while she was washing her clothes in the river and carried it home in a pot, only to find a beautiful necklace in the pot when she later opened it. Auntie sold the necklace to Father as a gift for Mother and he put in a jewelry chest, but they opened the chest again, they found a baby instead. Him.

He didn't know what he was anymore, a human or something else, or if he was human, why he had been cursed like this. He couldn't even look his parents in eyes knowing there might be something wrong with him, so instead he fled to his best friend, Prince James. James might appreciate the company since his father insisted on forcing him to marry Prince Abigail. Nagaraj also kept the gold and glass slipper wrapped up in his traveling bag in hopes that he could manage to find the beautiful woman who had bewitched him that night at the betrothal ball, though he dreaded the thought of her learning his secret.

When he arrived at the palace, the guards summoned Bo Peep, a stout middle-aged woman with harsh manners, the warlock hired by King George to ensure that he wasn't under any spell or an imposer disgusted with magic. Like all warlocks Bo Peep bore her master's seal, a lion surrounded by roses, on the backs of her hands. Bo Peep's thoroughness always annoyed him, though Nagaraj understood the necessarily of it. In the middle of the examination Nagaraj felt a prickle of fear that Bo Peep would discover something off about him and throw him in the dungeons, but the warlock nodded like nothing was wrong and let him through as she always did. He reminded himself that Bo Peep had examined him many times before, and if she noticed nothing then, she wouldn't have anything now.

The palace chamberlain Master Abernathy, a spindly man of sixty years, greeted him the courtyard and informed him that the royal family had left on a diplomatic mission just two days ago, but he was welcome to await their return.

On the second morning of his self-imposed exile, after Nagaraj ate a quiet, lonely breakfast in his chambers, he put on his cloak and riding boots and rode out into the foggy dawn. He had no destination in mind, but the solitude and calm, rolling hills gave him a sense of serenity he had been missing since learning of his past.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, he passed beside a thicket of blueberry bushes. He caught a glimpse of a woman crouched inside, gathering berries in her apron. When she heard him approach, she raised her head and Nagaraj recognized her instantly. He leapt from his horse.

"I feared I'd never see you again," he smiled shyly. "You never told me your name."

The woman from the ball raised her head and blushed a gentle shade of rose pink, and as Nagaraj approached her, she got to feet to leave. "I shouldn't speak to you, your Highness, I'm sorry."

"Wait," Nagaraj pleaded, "Have I offended you somehow?"

Her doe brown filled with mortification, "Absolutely not, you were a perfect gentleman. I just...I don't belong with you."

Nagaraj forced down the wave of self-disgust that had risen in his chest. "Because you know what I am?" He didn't dare spoke above a whisper.

"You're a prince," his mysterious companion sighed, "and I am nothing."

"I don't think you're nothing." Nagaraj whispered.

The delicate blush returned to her cheeks and her smile broke his heart. He hadn't noticed until now how close their bodies were, his hands inches away from her hips, his face hovering just over her, so close he noticed a bruised until the thin white linen of her collar. She stepped back.

"I've been here too long and I'm needed elsewhere. Please forgive me."


	10. The Tower

Rapunzel stared out the window as the sun rose from the horizon. Since she first became trapped in her tower, she had enjoyed sleeping during the day and rising with the sunset. The sun made its grand entrance and Zela set aside her paints, canvases, and brushes before she prepared for bed.

She had been up in the tower so long that her hair grew long enough to circle her tower room several times over; in fact she kept most of it hanging from the from the exposed rafters, leaving just enough to let her move around the room without issue. There wasn't much reason to leave. She closed the great glass windows of her tower room and draw the heavy, black curtain, blocking out all light.

But when she lay her head down to rest, a sense of unease gnawed at her stomach. She sat up in bed, and there in the corner Mother Gothel stood, her dark hood pulled low over her face.

"What do you want?" Zela growled, though she knew Gothel wouldn't answer. Gothel glided around the spacious room, her feet making no sound as Zela stared. Ever since she ran away from home and stumbled upon the cursed tower, Gothel has kept her prisoner, isolated and helpless, and even though she wouldn't let Zela leave, she didn't seem to have a real purpose for her for her to be there. "Just leave me alone."

Gothel walked over to the window, placed her hand on the thick curtain, and walked back down the stairs. Zela dropped back on the bed with a dull thud as her captor vanished into the dankness, but despite her tiredness, sleep didn't come to her. As Zela lay in bed, she heard an odd noise start at the base of the tower and gradually move upwards, before it stopped with a crash and a yelp of pain.

She rose and threw the window open. A young man, not much older than her, groaned to his feet. His richly-dyed, bejeweled clothing revealed his status of a high-ranking member of the aristocracy. Most people in this area avoided the tower, knowing it to be cursed, so he had to have come from somewhere far away.

The stranger gazed up at her, his mouth falling open in surprise. "My lady, are you alright?" he shouted.

Zela couldn't help but smile at his concern. "I've been better," she shouted back. "You're either very brave or very foolish to come here."

"I'm very lost," the stranger replied. "May I take shelter in your tower."

"You don't want to come up here," Zela warned. "This tower belongs to a wicked witch who been keeping me trapped here for years."

The stranger's face and tone became serious as he assessed her circumstances. "Is she here now?"

"I don't know." Zela admitted, "She comes and goes as she pleases, and I have no idea what she does or what she's capable of."

"If I can find a way into the tower, I can rescue you. What is your name?"

"Zela." She licked her lips nervously. Since running away from home, she had used her nickname instead of her true name, Princess Rapunzel of Misthaven, but for the first time she felt guilty about withholding the truth from someone.

"I am Prince James, though this is a long way from Misthaven. I'll do whatever I can to help you."

His expression was so earnest, so sincere, that Zela's guilt only grew.

"Don't risk your life on my account, your Highness," she cautioned him; the words stung her lips.

"What sort of man would I be if I left you to this fate?" Prince James argued. Before he even finished his sentence he tried again to climb the tower, but as always Gothel's magic threw the intruder off. "Do you have a rope I can climb?"

"All I have is my hair, though it might be long of you to grab a hold off," Zela shrugged.

"Your...hair?"

Zela bit her lip cheekily. She had never had the opportunity to show someone else. "Wait," she told him. Zela climbed a ladder to the mezzanine that occupies the southern wall of her room and untangled the majority of her hair from the beams, though she kept some up to counter the prince's weight. After she threw her obscenely long black braid out of the window, she saw Prince James' eyes and mouth open in astonishment.

"H-how long have you been up there?" he gaped.

"I've been here so long, I don't remember," Zela admitted. "Do you really think you can climb it?"

"I have to try," Prince James stated. He grabbed a fistful of the coily, black hair and pulled as hard as he could. "Does it hurt?"

"Don't worry, I don't feel anything."

A genuine smile bloomed on Zela's face as she realized that Prince James might succeed in rescuing her. He worked his up using her hair as leverage, climbing the tower higher and higher until he made it the top. By the time he reached her window and Zela helped him inside, his breath came fast and heavy and sweat glistened on his forehead, but he stood tall and confidently.

He gazed around her living quarters with a hand on his sword, "Now we just need to make the witch release you. What does she want with you?"

"I have no idea," Zela answered truthfully as she pulled her hair back in from out of the window and Prince. She didn't mentioned that she had sought out Mother Gothel in hopes that the witch could resurrect her beloved brother, who had died to save her from drowning, but she didn't know why Mother Gothel had trapped her in the tower instead of either helping her or turning her away, so she saw reason to mention that.

"Gather your belongings, but nothing more than you can carry," Prince James commanded.

* * *

"Good morning Miss Thorne," David greeted Dawn Thorne - Princess Aurora - when he passed her in the hallway. His mother had asked him to give King George an important note he had forgetting that morning and David grudgingly agreed to.

Dawn turned with a smile, her auburn hair bounced on her thin, sand-colored shoulders. "I told you David, call me Dawn."

He returned the smile awkwardly, "Right."

An ever-present discomfort hounded him; it intensified when he faced these distorted figures of people he had known. In this realm Princess Aurora worked for King George as a paralegal, took his demands with unquestioning obedience, had an infant daughter named Pippa (he had no clue where that child come from), and didn't speak to her parents unless the circumstances forced her to. So far he hadn't seen her wife Mulan or Mulan's brother Ah Ping, so he guessed Regina had torn that family apart as she had torn apart him. She even altered Princess Aurora's appearance, turning the lively black curls into plain reddish-brown waves.

"You're here to see your step-dad?"

The word "Yes" reluctantly left his lips, though he hated to acknowledge King George as any sort of family member. David explained, "He forgot this at home." and held up the folder.

"I can get it for him," Dawn offered.

"Thanks, but I actually need to talk to him about something," David replied. "I'll see you around."

Dawn shrugged, "Okay, see you around."

David walked in the Albert Spencer's office and walked into without knocking because he knew it would upset him. As expected Albert Spencer raised his head with annoyance and glared at David; had he know who they really were, he would have done worse than that.

"To what do I owe this visit," Albert Spencer grunted as he set down his reading glasses.

"Mom told me to give you this."

David set the folder down on this desk and Albert picked it up skeptically. "Ah, I was just looking for this. Thank you David." As David opened the door to leave, Albert stopped him, "Just a second. I know you and I haven't always gotten along, but given your recent experience, I think we should put the past behind us; if for nothing else, then for your mother's sake."

If only he knew...

"So," he continued, "I'm thinking of helping you get a job here, as my associate attorney."

Under different circumstances, this would be a generous offer, but if Albert Spencer had retained any of his royal counterpart's devious nature, David suspected that he planned to use his position to keep him under his thumb. "That's kind of you to offer," David said without an ounce of gratitude in his voice, "but I'm replacing Mahmud Rahim as Storybrook's new public defender. He's getting on in years, wants to spend more time with his family."

"And it didn't occur to you that I might want to spend time with my family? That we could be working on cases together?" Albert Spencer scolded, his voice rising with each word. "You realize that now we're on opposing sides of the courtroom?"

"Yeah," David shrugged. "But it's worth it, isn't it?"

Albert Spencer sighed heavily, "I can't believe I expected more of you."

David almost wanted to laugh; instead he smirked and walked out.

Maybe he shouldn't antagonize Albert Spencer, but he couldn't help help himself when confronted with the man who had torn his family apart. He'd need better self-control when he confront the Evil Queen. His mother told him that Regina had come to see him when he was still in the hospital, but he had been drugged and unconscious and didn't remember it.

He didn't know how he would react to see his beloved Snow in her cursed form. He hoped some part of her remained until the veneer imposed on her but he feared looking into her eyes again and finding no recognition. When he woke up from nearly drowning and regained his bearings, lying in the arms of a wife who didn't know him, he abruptly pressed his lips to hers, hoping to break the curse with True Love's Kiss, but to his horror Mary recoiled from him.

"You're probably confused," Mary stammered as her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. She didn't look him in the eye the rest of the night; he'd lost his wife even though she stood right in front of him.

And Emma! Their baby girl was a fully-grown woman who had no idea who they were or where she had come from. The tiny baby he'd held in his arms and fought nearly to death to protect, all grown up in instant. When he first saw her, David thought she was another victim of the curse, but when Snow - Mary - said her name, Emma Swan, a wave of horror, grief, and love overtook him as he finally saw the family resemblance.

Her naturally black hair was colored golden-yellow, but it had the exact same thick, tightly circled texture of her grandmother's. She had his brown eyes and Snow's cheekbones; her nose and lips were almost identical to Red's. And though he loathed to admit it, there was even some of Regina in the set of her shoulders and the way she walked.

From the conversations he'd had with his mother, he knew that Emma had arrived in Storybrooke shortly before he woke from his coma (before a lot of things starting changing in Storybrooke) and David suspected that her arrival was responsible for it. If that was the case, the Dark One had told them the truth. He had no way of knowing if the Dark One was in a position to help them, or if he had even been taken along with them to the Land Without Magic, so for now David would have to figure out how to save his family on his own.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to call off the search?" Emma asked, holding the phone up to her ear with her shoulder as she looked over Rebecca's file.

Her client, a woman in her late sixties, had spent about two years looking for the baby sister her father had placed for adoption. Emma remembered meeting Rebecca seven months ago. The elderly woman with soft hands and carnation pink cheeks had tearfully explained that her mother had an affair when she was fourteen and her father had forced her to place the child for adoption.

"I'm not calling it off, I'm taking a break," Rebecca clarified, "My eldest granddaughter just found she was pregnant - she's only seventeen, you know - and things are so chaotic right now. Everyone's trying to tell her what to do with the baby and it's just... We can keep searching once everything's calmed down and I'm in a better state of mind."

Emma sighed deeply, "I understand. Tell your granddaughter I'm wishing her luck." After Rebecca hung up, Emma plopped back down on her bed and looked at Graham's card. She wanted to stay in Storybrooke and knew she'd have a harder time finding clients if she left the city, but being a police officer didn't appeal to her.

Emma contemplated her prospects and Mary entered the loft and tossed her schoolbag onto the kitchen table. "Hey, how was your day?"

"You know, as well as it could be with two dozen 10-year-olds packed into a small room for seven hours."

"Rough," Emma winced. "Did Henry seem okay?"

"Mostly." Mary said as she got started on the hot chocolate and Emma walked down the stairs. "He's still really stuck on this fairy tale theory and wants to speak to David Nolan, but Regina's keeping an eye on him for once and she's trying trying really hard to curb his interest. He hates it."

"I get that she wants the best for him," Emma stated leaning over the counter top, "but I don't blame him for being upset. This is such a mess."

A knock came to the door and when Emma answered it, Ruby stood on the other side. She wore her grease-stained waitress uniform, her hair tied in a two fraying braids. "Sorry to barge in you guys like this, but I just got off my shift and I needed to talk to you, Emma."

Emma blinked, "Me?" She assumed Ruby was here to see Mary, since they knew each other better.

"Well, both of you, if you can help."

"Do you want a cup of hot chocolate?" Mary offered. Ruby nodded.

Once Mary finished preparing their drinks, the three woman huddled together on the overstuffed couch and Ruby detailed Regina's visit and threats to Ashley Bao.

"She's completely freaking out, she needs your help," Ruby finished.

Mary nodded sympathetically, "We'll help in any we can; diapers, babysitting-"

"That's great and all," Ruby interrupted, "but none of that's gonna matter if Regina sues her for the baby. Ashley doesn't stand a chance in court. Emma, I was hoping you could convince Regina to leave her alone."

"Me? Regina hates me!" Emma replied.

Ruby shifted her position so she could face Emma directly, "You're the only person who can stand up to her and you can tell her that Henry doesn't even want a sibling. You're from out of town, so you're impartial, and I think she actually respects you, in her own way."

"Hmm, I doubt it, but I'll give it a try." Emma answered and she rubbed Ruby's back comfortingly.

"Thank you," Ruby wheezed.

They hung out together for a few more minutes before Ruby and Mary had to leave because they were both exhausted from long hours of work. Emma returned to her upstairs bedroom alone, knowing she'd have to find some way to fill her time.

She looked again at Graham's business card.

* * *

Mulan nudged her little brother awake as the first hints of dawn. They had been in this new realm for almost two days, since the bandit who had attacked them used a magic bean to transport them all here and escaped while they were disorientated. So far they hadn't seen any towns and villages, and Mulan was weary of living off the local plants because she couldn't be sure which of them were poisonous, so they rationed the ginkgo seeds Ah Ping had stored in his pocket. Ah Ping stretched as he woke up and Mulan helped him to his feet. They lost their horse and almost all their supplies; they couldn't live like this for much longer.

"Do we have any food left?" Ah Ping mumbled.

"A little," Mulan gave him a handful of seeds, "But we should save the rest until later today. We'll need to save it until we can find more food."

Ah Ping frowned and stuffed the seeds in his mouth. Mulan forced herself to eat because she knew she was no use to her brother starving. And she was no use to him wallowing in doubt and self-pity, so she quashed any feeling but determination.

But before they could get moving again, a storm of hooves hitting a dirt road hit their eardrums and Mulan ran in the direction of the sound, Ah Ping following close behind her. A procession of armored knights and squires ambling down the road toward them, led by a woman with white skin and pale golden hair. When they noticed the siblings, the leader give an order her squire. The squire, a boy just a few years young than Mulan herself, galloped ahead toward Mulan and Ah Ping. From the way he eyed their clothing, Mulan know he recognized them as foreigners.

"I am Yves, squire to Sir Elizabeth of Longlake, a knight in service to King Stephan and Queen Leah of Costala. In His Royal Majesty's name, I order you to identify yourselves."

Mulan and Ah Ping bowed respectfully and Mulan answered his address, "I am Hua Mulan, former general of the Emperor of Han. My companion is my younger brother, Hua Ah Ping. Forgive us if we trespass on His Majesty's land; we are not here by choice."

By now the other members of Yves's party had caught up with them. The knight Sir Elizabeth addressed, "Hau Mulan of Han, tell me how you and your brother came to be on our king's land."

Mulan explained everything, from the discovered of her abandoned village to the encounter with the bandit, and hoped they believed her. From Sir Elizabeth's expression, she couldn't tell they didn't.

"I believe we ought to trust the king's judgement on this matter," Sir Elizabeth remarked coldly. "Bind their hands and feet, and toss them in one of the supply wagons."

As Sir Elizabeth's soldiers carried out her orders, Mulan told Ah Ping to make as little fuss as possible. If King Stephan employed a warlock, they could volunteer to drink a truth potion and prove their innocence. This was their best chance to find safety and return home to search for their family.

The march to the royal castle took two weeks, during which the soldiers gave the Hua siblings plenty of food and water. A few even made polite conversation with her and complimented Mulan on the craftsmanship of her sword, which they had confiscated. As his sister instructed, Ah Ping kept his discomfort to himself. When they arrived at the gates of the palace, a warlock was indeed summoned to ensure no curse would enter.

Mulan and Ah Ping were confined to a small, windowless room beneath of castle until the king and queen, who were curious about her request to drink a truth serum, were ready to see them. A servant girl dressed them in new, clean garments and the siblings followed a steward to the throne room, a massive chamber with ceilings as high as any tree and windows so large and wide that it was almost like nothing separated the indoors from the outdoors.

Having lived on a humble farm his entire life, Ah Ping found himself overwhelmed by all the splendor and wealth, the massive size of the room, the sheer number of aristocrats and warriors and servants fixing their eyes on him and his sister. Mulan sensed this and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Nothing will happen to you as long as I'm here." the gesture told him. When they reached the throne of King Stephan and Queen Leah, they knelt and waited to be spoken to.

A court official placed a small silver bowl in front of Mulan's lips and she drank without hesitation. She gave her story to the king and queen, and they seemed satisfied by her answer.

The king stood and said, "Since this woman and the boy with her are not a threat to our kingdom, they may be on their way."

"Not yet," the queen piped up. The king turned to his wife in surprise and she continued, "I have a task in mind to prove we can trust them, but for now, I request they be returned to their assigned chambers."

It took all of Mulan's self-control to remain outwardly respectful and calm in the face of yet another set back.

Late that night, a guard roused Mulan and Ah Ping from sleep. "The boy will remain here and work for his keep," he looked at Mulan, "and you are to meet Her Majesty in the Rose Tower."

It was dark, barely morning, and they walked across the courtyard and up the tower steps just before the first rays of dawn rose from the horizon. The guard opened the door to a large chamber, and as Mulan's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized it was a nursery. Queen Leah sat in a wicker chair, knitting.

"Do you remember what it was like when your mother gave birth to your brother?" The queen asked, not looking up from her work, her voice oddly gentle and the slightest bit melancholic.

"Yes." The whole village had been ecstatic for her parents, her father equal parts proud and nervous. When Ah Ping finally arrived, it was after two days in labor, and Grandmother hosted a huge feast to celebrate the birth of her only grandson. Mulan had eaten so much, she threw up the next morning and vowed to never eat sweets again.

Mulan did not offer those details.

Queen Leah didn't seem to mind. She lay down her needles and wool. "I had a daughter, years ago. A few years younger than you. Her name was Aurora."

"You have my condolences, your Majesty."

"She's not dead," Queen Leah corrected Mulan. "But I had to let her go when she was just a baby; she doesn't know who I am." For the first time that morning, she looked Mulan straight in the face. "You say you're a skilled warrior? Bring my daughter back to me, and you and your brother may have your freedom."


	11. Resolve

When Emma entered the mayor's office during lunch, she knew it was going to be a disaster, but she had promised Ruby she'd help, so she went anyway. Regina sat in her office eating a bowl of salad when Emma came in, and she narrowed her eyes at the intrusion.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Regina asked sarcastically.

Emma pulled up a chair in front of Regina, who continued scowling. The atmosphere of the room gradually cooled as Emma began, "I don't want to be here any more than you want me here, but I promised Ruby I'd talk to you. It's about-"

"My baby?" Regina interrupted, her voice contemptuous, setting aside her lunch, "The one Miss Bao is illogically holding onto? It can't be anything else if Miss Lucas is involved."

Emma decided to cut right to the chase. "Don't you think taking Ashley to court is a little very heavy-handed? Adoptions fall through all the time, and I know it's awful going through the whole adoption process for nothing, but how could you live with yourself knowing you took that child by force?"

"Easily." Regina smirked, "Because I know I'm doing the right thing. Miss Bao is nowhere near ready for the responsibility of raising a baby."

"And that child's gonna be fine growing up and learning what you did to their birth mother? Suing her, ripping her child away?" Emma challenged.

Regina stood furiously, "I'll tell them them truth, that their mother was a weak-willed, empty-headed slut who would have ruined both their lives!" Her face reddened for a moment before she regain her composure.

Emma sneered and stood up as well, "Oh yeah, that's definitely not gonna give the kid an inferiority complex. Is that what you told Henry about his birth mother?" Regina's face morphed into an unreadable expression. "Something along those lines, right? If that's the case, I don't blame him for wanting to believe I was his mom. Better knowing you came from a heroic princess, than a "weak-willed, empty-headed slut"? Who wouldn't prefer the fairy tale to real life?"

"How dare you?!" Regina slapped Emma across the cheek with all her strength, so hard it made Emma stumble backwards. "How fucking dare you blame me for my son's problems?! You're the one who encourages him! You stayed in town and fed his delusions after I told you, over and over again, to leave him alone."

"Henry was having problems way before I showed up, so don't pin this on me!" Emma shouted back, "What the hell have you done to actually help him? All you do is hover over him and tell him he's crazy. At least I'm trying to explain to him what's real without tearing down his self-esteem."

"You don't understand a thing about being a mother, you're not a mother. You're nothing! You don't get to come here and tell me I'm raising my son wrong." Regina raved. "Don't you get it yet, Miss Swan? You don't understand this town, or the people here, or how things are done. You're an utter nuisance."

"How things are done is you get whatever you want, you do whatever you want, and everyone else just grovels to you." Emma barked. "I'm not gonna let you harass that poor girl and steal her baby. Henry told me himself that he doesn't want you take Ashley's child from her. If you go through with this, you're gonna end up hurting him to."

"I don't believe you."

"And I'm not gonna let you get away with bullying your son," Emma continued.

Regina laughed, "What you call bullying, most of us call parenting, but you wouldn't anything about that, would you?"

"Yeah, keep rubbing my dead child in my face," Tears began forming in Emma's eyes and she didn't bother holding them back, "It just proves how much of a heartless asshole you are."

" _I'm_ the heartless asshole?" Regina screeched. " _I_ think I can do whatever I want? You moved here because you felt like it. You got involved in everyone's business because you felt it. You're giving Henry and Miss Bao false hope, but do you go Henry's therapy sessions with him, are you going to change that baby's diapers? You don't even pay your own rent and you think you're in any position to judge _me_? You think you're such a good person, don't you? Where we would all without Emma Swan showing us the way?"

"I don't think that," Emma protested.

"Then what are you still doing here?" Regina demanded.

"I-" Emma swallowed harshly. Because...because... She had a definitive answer, but it flicked in the back of her mind like a faulty light bulb, something half-forgotten and obscure, but nonetheless important. She knew she was fond of Henry and enjoyed living with Mary, but she felt there was a deeper reason for her choice to stay; one she couldn't articulate to Regina.

"Let's get one thing straight Miss Swan," Regina once more invaded her personal space, "Whatever you're looking for, you won't find it here, and you're going to cause a lot of trouble if you don't learn your place."

"My place." Emma repeated, so angry her voice was hardly above a whisper. She'd heard that more time than she liked as a brown girl in world without enough room for her. "My place is where I say it is. I have nothing else to say you, Madam Mayor."

Emma walked out of the office resolve, though she wasn't sure to what end.

* * *

She didn't get paid enough for this.

Aria Johnson kept a tight morning and evening routine to make up for the utter chaos that made up the most of her days, and that included sweeping into Granny's at 7:15 AM sharp for an espresso with extra sugar. The staff knew to have her order ready by the time she walked in and Aria knew to have $3.75 in her hand to pay for her daily fuel, so she could be in and out in less than a minute. As the caffeine buzzed in her system, she'd get to her first client, work, eat her homemade lunch in the car while driving to the second client, work some more, do whatever errands she could before everything closed, and then went home to get ready to do it all again.

This morning, Ruby Lucas forgot to get her order ready on time, probably distracted by the fact that her friend Ashley Bao had an upcoming custody battle with the mayor, and it threw Aria off her rhythm harder than a wreaking ball. She was late in arriving to her first client, a boy who's had been in a car accident 3 years ago, and his parents chewed her head off like lion dining on a gazelle. The rest of her day didn't improve. The kid refused to cooperate with her during his physical therapy exercises, and she nearly lost her patience more than once. On her way to her second client, she spilled her lunch in her lap and dreaded showing up looking like a mess.

"Today can't get any worse," Aria thought to herself as she drove up to Mr. Gold's home, a charming pink house near the water, quiet but not isolated. Her only solace was that Mr. Gold usually wasn't home while she worked, so maybe she could get her job done without running into him today. Her stomach dropped when she noticed Mr. Gold's car sitting in the driveway. "Of fucking course."

She got out of the car in her soiled scrubs and steeled herself to face the rest of a terrible day. Unlike her other clients, Mr. Gold trusted her with a key to his house, so she went in and went to the kitchen first, hoping to clean herself up as much as possible before starting. After she dabbed a wet rag over the stains, and when they were slightly less noticeable, Aria walked down the hall to Belle's room.

"Thing's are finally falling into place, Belle," Mr. Gold soft voice lulled through the empty hallway.

Aria stopped in place. She didn't want to eavesdrop, but she couldn't just get out. Aria stood awkwardly in the hallway as Mr. Gold continued, "I've been planning this for so long, to bring our family back together, to find Bae, and it's all finally coming together. You won't be like this for much long, I promise."

She snapped out her of daze and knocked on the door, "Mr. Gold? Sorry, I just got here," Aria lied.

Mr. Gold had been sitting at Belle's bedside, holding one of her hands, but when he heard Aria, he stood up straight and stiff like someone had jolted him with electricity. "Alright then, do your job."

His abrupt transformation back into the stern landlord and pawnbroker startled her more than it should have, but Aria did her best to brush it off. Still, she liked how he had been with Belle. She'd never seen him in Belle's room before, but in those brief moments he showed a soft spot for that explained why he had bothered to hire a private nurse to care for her at home, instead of leaving her in the hospital.

Was she his wife? She probably was not a relative because she didn't look anything like him. Mr. Gold had distinct sharp features, not bad looking but not handsome either. Belle's face was softer and classically beautiful, olive-toned to Mr. Gold's paper-pale skin, almost angelic with shiny, chestnut-brown tresses framing her plump cheeks, elegant eyelashes, and dark pink lips.

He walked past her without another glance and Aria saw to her comatose patient.

* * *

After Emma accepted Graham's job offer, she and Mary fell into a comfortable routine. Every morning one of them made breakfast while the other took care of the birds, and otherwise they met Henry at Granny's. On those mornings Mary took Henry to school. Sometimes Henry would stop by the police station to hang out with Emma, unless she was patrolling the forest looking for stoners or breaking up a fight between crewmen on the docks.

One morning, a classmate of Henry's, a young girl with dark brown skin and amber eyes approached them as they left Granny's. "E-excuse, Deputy Swan?"

Emma looked up and, seeing how the girl averted her eyes and twiddled with her hands, smiled reassuringly at her, "Hey, everything alright?"

"Hi Paige!" Henry beamed at her, and beckoned her to come closer.

Paige did so, and told said to Emma, "My mom and dad told me not to talk to you, but I really, really need your help."

Emma's eyebrows came together as she asked Paige what she meant.

"Well, my mom thinks you cause trouble, but I think you're great at helping. The problem is my friend is gone. I've gone to her house every day for the past week and she wasn't there. She usually loves it when I visit."

"I haven't noticed anyone from school go missing." Henry replied, confused.

"She doesn't go to our school, she's a grown up." Paige explained.

Mary frowned, "Do your parents know about this friend?"

"No..."

"Paige, who are you talking about? I can't help you if I don't know who I'm suppose to be looking for," Emma told her.

"It's Priscilla Jefferson, the woman who lives just outside of town," Paige finally admitted.

Emma's face hardened as she realized she hadn't seen Priscilla in a while. She thought that Priscilla was just leaving her alone, but something darker might have happened. "You're sure she's missing? I can bring you to the station right now and take your statement."

"No!" Paige hissed and looked around to make sure nobody was watching them. "I'll get in so much trouble if my parents known about this."

"Okay, okay," Emma put her hands on the nervous child's shoulders, "I promise I will try to find Priscilla, and I'll say you were an anonymous source, but you have to promise to let me know if anything else comes up."

Paige nodded.

"Come on, I should get you and Henry to school," Mary stated. "Emma, we talk can more at home."

Emma waved the trio goodbye and headed for work, where she heard Graham speaking to someone as she walked in the door and hung her coat. She recognized David Nolan, though now he was shaved and wearing a neat, plain suit, but she didn't know the third man with them. He was a short, though powerfully-built man, with Asian features and nut brown skin that made his white mustache stand out. Wrinkles made canyons in his smiling face and his bald scalp shone until the police station's fluorescent lights.

"Good morning," Emma said to the trio.

Graham clapped her on the shoulder, "Morning. You're early. Emma, this is Mahmud Rahim, Storybrooke's public defender. I believe you've already met David."

David had a odd, misty look in his eye that Emma couldn't understand. "She knows me, but I'm afraid I wasn't in the best state of mind at the time. It's...it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Emma."

His overly-sentimental tone made Emma a little uncomfortable, but she chalked it up to gratitude for helping save his life. "Likewise," she replied simply. "And it's nice to meet you too, Mr. Rahim."

Mr. Rahim shook her hand forcefully, "I remember you caused quite a stir when you first came to Storybrooke, Miss Swan, but it's wonderful to see that you're finding a place here. It's just a shame I'll be retiring before we really get a chance to work together. David, here, is my replacement."

"I was just giving him a tour of the station," Graham explained.

"We have to get going," Mr. Rahim nodded, "but hopefully, we'll see you again soon."

"In a town this small, we don't really have a choice," Emma shrugged. The three men laughed, though Emma hadn't intended it is a joke, and she continued feeling awkward. Mr. Rahim patted her on the back and David gave an enigmatic smile before they told Graham goodbye and left.

As Emma sat down at her desk, Graham tossed a thick folder onto it. "Just a little paperwork you need to catch up on," he grinned playfully.

"Actually," Emma told him, "I got an anonymous tip recently that Priscilla Jefferson's been missing the last couple days and I think we should check it out."

Graham shrugged, "Don't worry about Jefferson, she's a hermit. She prefers being cooped up in the house of hers."

"I still think it's worth looking into," Emma pressed.

"Well, you want to make more work for yourself, I guess I can't stop you," he gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder, "but you still need to get all that paperwork done."

* * *

In the week since the police learned that Miss Jefferson, the town weirdo, had vanished without a trace, her fridge still full and laundry still the machine, Ava and Nicholas made up their minds about moving into her home. The building they'd been squatting in since they're mother died had no central air condition, no beds or couch, not even a soft rug to lay on. They'd have to be careful not get caught, or they might be put in foster care and separated (or worse, accused of having something to do with her disappearance), but an empty mansion with no neighbors was too good a chance to pass up.

* * *

Graham and Emma searched the mansion from top to bottom, a task that consumed their entire day due to the sheer size of the place, but Priscilla gave no clues as where she might have gone. The place appeared no different than if she went out to get the morning paper. Emma had her suspicions, but they hadn't found any evidence that a crime had taken place. Anyone who knew her would tell you Priscilla Jefferson was prone to odd behavior and leaving her home without explanation fit the bill.

As she and Graham left the mansion and headed to the squad car, Graham told her, "If Miss Jefferson doesn't show up in the next 48 hours, someone can file a missing person's report, but for now there's nothing we can do."

Emma grimaced, but nodded. By now the sun had set, and it was typical evening in Storybrooke. A few stars twinkled in the indigo sky, and the moon hung like a large, white ball near the horizon. Crickets didn't chirp in Storybrooke, but a few owls hooted softly in the trees above.

Graham added, "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure."

"I'm scheduled for an overnight shift tomorrow, but I promised to help out at the animal center. Would you mind covering it for me?"

"You promised no overnights!" Emma whined.

Graham gave a puppy-eyed look, "I know, but this is really important."

Emma wasn't moved. "Can I get the rest of this shift odd?"

"Done." Graham smiled. "Go home, get some rest. We can worry about Miss Jefferson in a few days."

After Graham dropped her at the police station, she waved him goodbye and drove herself home while he got ready to finish the shift alone. As she exited her car, Emma heard a motorcycle come up from the down the street and stared at the single bright light curiously.

The motorcycle stopped in front of her and it's rider removed his helmet. He was a young man near her age, with honey brown skin and hair like black waterfall down to his collar. Bright blue eyes studied her above the stern line of his mouth. She didn't recognize him even though she had lived in Storybrooke for a while now.

"Need something?" Emma crossed her arms.

The stranger shook his head, "Nothing. You just reminded of someone."

"You may have seen me around town."

"I'm new, actually. Killian Jones," he held out his right hand, "Pleased to meet you."

Not wanted to be rude, she shook it. "Emma Swan. Likewise."

* * *

Snow walked alone in the moonlight, with Alexander's pendant resting heavily against her chest, as the waves crashed against the craggy black shore and retreated. The last traces of winter were finally giving way to spring, but the air outside remained cold, so she kept a thick cloak fasted at her shoulder with a bronze broach. Underfoot the frozen, muddy earth remained hard and Snow hoped it stayed that way during the battle. Beneath the pale light of the full moon, she could see clear across Pearl Bay.

Her mother waited on the other side, no doubt plotting how best to kill her with King George, and while Snow did not anticipate a meeting with the woman had both created and ruined her life, she knew it was inevitable.

Footsteps approached her and Snow spun around and ripped her sword from it's scabbard, the metallic zip echoing through the night air.

"It's just me!" David cried, holding out his hands to show he meant no harm.

"David," Snow relaxed and re-sheathed her weapon as he approached. "I'm sorry, you startled me."

He smiled faintly at her, "You don't have to apologize. Can't be to careful these days, especially not on a night like this."

When he got near enough, Snow pulled him close by lapels and kissed him. His lips were warm like the smoldering embers of a dying fire and a shiver went down Snow's spine as his breath entered her mouth. She pushed her tongue into his mouth and crushed her lips against his with more force, but instead of letting the kiss intensify, he jerked his head back and gently pushed her away.

Before Snow could express hurt at his apparent rejection, David smiled lopsidedly, looking slightly embarrassed, "Believe me, there are few things I enjoy more than kissing you, but I actually came to talk." His bashful expression turned into a more serious one, though the affection in his eyes didn't diminish.

"What's wrong?" Snow asked, "Are we changing our strategy? Did something happened to Red? Are we under attack?"

"None of that," David assured her. He licked his lips before continuing. "You're the most incredible woman I've ever met, Snow. I've always admired you, starting from the day we met, and you've save my life more times that I dare to count. You're so brave, and determined, and clever, and full of love. When you had to chance to leave Misthaven and start over somewhere else, you didn't take it because you couldn't abandon your people. You're the kind of person I hope to be someday."

"Don't sell yourself short," Snow chuckled as she wrapped her arms around David's neck. "You're someone I want to be like, too. I appreciate the compliments, but where's this coming from?"

David rested his forehead against her, taking a moment to savor the firmness of her body pressed against his. "I love you, Snow White."

"I love too Charming," she whispered back.

"I love you more than I've ever loved someone," David repeated more quietly, "We might die tomorrow,"

Snow looked up at him and hissed, "Don't say that. The moment we start to believe there's no hope, that's when there really won't be any."

"I'm trying to be realistic. We're attacking Regina on her territory and she knows we're coming, so there's a high chance-"

"We've already covered that!" Snow snapped, "I don't care what the odds are, I have to retake my kingdom and bring that woman to justice."

David exhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and rubbed his forehead, "I'm sorry. God, I'm doing this all wrong."

"Doing _what_ all wrong?" Snow demanded. "If it can wait until after the battle, let it wait, because I have to get to ready to fight for my people."

As she began to walk away, David grabbed her and spun back around to face him. "It can't wait. I want to marry you."

Snow's eyes widened, but the rest of her face remained blank and she said nothing.

David continued, anguish coloring his face, "I know this isn't the proposal you deserve, but it's the one I have to give. I can't imagine another day without you in my life. I don't want to picture a world where we come of this alive and then go our separate ways. I'm not a prince, I'm just a shepherd. I can't promise you riches or power or alliances, just myself, but I'm willing to give you all of me if you'll be my wife. Will you do me that honor?"

Another moment crawled past them, the night air silent but for Snow's breathing. At last she responded, "A-are we done talking?"

David hung his head. "Yes."

He moved to get out of her way and nurse his broken heart in private, but Snow grabbed him by lapels and claimed his lips in kiss fiercer and wilder than the one before.

"Yes," she whispered in between kisses, little ripples of laughter escaping her throat every so often as joyful tears ran down her cheeks. "Yes. Yes. Yes."


	12. Strangers

Henry watched the stranger over Emma's shoulder while he ate breakfast at Granny's with her and Mary. Emma had met him the night before, but she didn't have much to say about him, only that his name was Killian Jones and he was from out of town. Since the name "Killian Jones" wasn't anywhere in his book, Henry had to conclude that Killian really was from out of town, not just cursed to think he was like David. Henry couldn't figure how any outsider could find their way to Storybrooke, but he surmised that Emma's influence weakened the curse enough to let other people see the town. More people coming to town meant more people who weren't under the Evil Queen's control and who could help Emma vanquish her.

Emma didn't get it though. She thought David really did come from out of town and she suggested that Killian was able to come to town because it had never been really cursed, but Henry knew she only thought that because she didn't believe in the curse, so he didn't think much of it. She had to embrace her destiny eventually, he reasoned. Meanwhile, she and Graham had yet to decide what to do about Priscilla Jefferson's abrupt disappearance. Henry suspected Regina had something to do with it, but then again he was quick to blame her for anything that went wrong in Storybrooke.

He said goodbye to Emma as she went to work and he went to school with Mary, planning to learn more about Killian Jones the minute he got the chance.

* * *

Regina sat in her office drinking a glass of whiskey as she held up a picture of the stranger in Storybrooke that Sidney had snapped the day before. Something about Killian Jones seemed familiar, something in his face she recognized, but she couldn't tell what. In any case, whoever Killian Jones was, she had to get the situation under control before he caused as much trouble as Miss Swan. Unlike the case with Miss Swan, she had yet to find any dirt on Killian Jones that she could use against him, but she'd find something on him.

* * *

The valley behind the cottage Briar Rose lived in with her parents bloomed bright yellow with a thousand buttercups smothering the long, emerald green grass. Her skirt was still a little damp from collecting dew that morning, but was quickly drying under the noon sun. As Briar Rose walked home after picked apples at a nearby orchard, she took her time to admire the tall oak tree that had she had played on as a young child. Sometimes she climbed the tree and sat in its branches for hours watching insects, birds, deer, and wild dogs. Other time she'd pretend to be a princess hidden away in a tower plotting her escape from an evil witch. The tree seemed so much larger then, but she was almost 18 and too old for such games anymore.

As she continued the walk home, Briar Rose heard the sound of hooves approaching. Travelers passed by the farm from time to time, so Briar Rose didn't feel concerned. She made it to the house at the same time as the rider, a pale woman with short dark hair who wore armor bearing the king's crest. A long sword rested on her hip like determination rested on her face.

Briar Rose approached the stranger, "Good morning. What brings you here?"

"I'm searching for a girl called Briar Rose, on behalf of Queen Leah. Is that your name?"

"Yes..." Briar Rose narrowed her eyes in suspicion. There was no chance the queen knew her, a simply country girl, so she guessed it was a prank by one of the villagers. They'd always thought her a little odd, since she was raised by three fairies. The armor and sword did look authentic, so she wasn't sure. "Would you like to come inside and meet my parents?"

Hua Mulan looked uncomfortable, but accepted the invitation.

Briar Rose found her mothers inside going about their chores; Mother Flora, the eldest and tallest, repaired old clothes before winter set in; Mother Fauna cleaned out the fireplace; and Mother Merryweather, the youngest and shortest, spun wool her loom to replace the blankets that had been stolen last week. "I'm back," Briar Rose announced, "And I've brought company."

Her mothers looked up from their tasks smiling. "A guest!" Mother Fauna poked her ash-covered cheeks out from the chimney, smiled widely, and rushed over to the front door, where Mulan, in a show of good faith, was unstrapping her sheath. Fauna took the sheath from her hands and tossed it over to Mother Merryweather, before dragging Mulan to the dining table. "Sit, you're just in time for lunch!" Mother Flora and Mother Merryweather, who had still held Mulan's sword, dropped their chores and went to the dining table as well.

"Thank you for your hospitality," Hua Mulan grimaced, "but I have a mission to complete. I was sent to Queen Leah to escort Briar Rose to the castle."

Silence smothered the small cottage like a heavy cloak. Mother Fauna's smile fell to the ground. "The queen...the king and queen...w-want her? Now? No, no it's too soon."

Briar Rose looked to her mother, eyes wide with concern, "What to do you mean 'too soon'?"

"Honey," Mother Flora placed a hand of Briar Rose's shoulder, "Do you remember the story of how we found we?"

"Of course," Briar Rose replied, "My blood parents gave me to you because I wasn't safe with them and we've been a family ever since."

"That's right dear," Mother Merryweather took her hand. "We have been wait for the right time to tell you the whole truth. Your blood parents are...they're the royal family: King Stephan and Queen Leah."

Briar Rose snatched her hand away as if she'd been burned. "The king and queen?"

Mother Merryweather continued, masking her hurt feelings, "We didn't tell you the truth sooner because they instructed us not to. When you were born, a dragon named Maleficent cursed you and your blood parents feared she would kill you. So they gave you to us, so that we could hide you from her."

"So, the princess... the one they never let anyone see.." Briar Rose's voice whittled down to a whisper.

Mother Flora confirmed, "Yes, my dear, you are Princess Aurora."

Briar Rose made a choking sound as her face gradually darkened, "I am _not_ a princess! You can't - you can't just keep that kind of secret for so long." She audibly suppressed a sob. "I thought my blood parents were dead."

"We never said they were," Mother Flora argued.

"And you never corrected me! You never told me anything." Briar Rose screamed. "You knew they'd come back for me, but you never prepared me for it. How could you do this me?"

Mother Merryweather nagged a finger, "Don't raise you voice to us. We told you as much we believed it was safe for you to know."

Briar Rose shook her head, "And you thought the best thing to do was lie to me for entire life?"

"We wanted you to have a normal childhood," Mother Fauna explained, "to let you grow up without the curse hanging over your head."

Tears in her eyes, Briar Rose pushed past her mother to leave out of the front door, but Mulan stopped her.

"I'm sorry you had to learn the truth this way," Mulan told her, "And I'm sorry your life is going change in ways you never anticipated, but I'm afraid you can't run from who you are."

"You have a lot of nerve presuming to know who I am," Briar Rose snapped, shaking Mulan's hand off her shoulder. She took around to the room, at the concerned faces of the other four women. "Do you want me to go?"

"We promised the king and queen that we would return you to them when the time came." Mother Flora answered quietly.

Briar Rose scowled at her, "So you'll just let them take me."

The three fairy remained silent, but their eyes gave their answer.

"Fine." Briar Rose...Aurora signed. She turned to Mulan, "Fine. I will go back with you."

* * *

Henry frowned when he saw Regina standing outside the school to pick him up. He'd been hoping he could run by the police station to hang out with Emma, but now he'd have to spend the evening with his mother.

"Are you coming to over to my place tomorrow to do our project, or should I go over to yours?" His classmate Conner Yang asked.

At least, Conner was his classmate this year. Since Henry was the only person in town who aged, he had always moved up a grade every year while every other kid stayed behind. When he went to first grade while the rest of his class stayed in kindergarten, he thought he was just getting promoted for being a good student. But when the same thing happened the next year and he told his mother, she told him he was imagining things, and that his new classmates had always been his classmates.

"No sweetie, August Booth is seven years old, just like you, and he was six last year, just like you," she had told him, no matter how much Henry protested that August had been older than him last year. It didn't seem to bother her that Henry gave up trying to make friends at school because nobody remembered being his friend for longer than a school year; maybe she even preferred it.

'When the curse breaks, the other kids can finally grow up with me.' Henry smiled at Conner, "Your place sounds good. Is Flora going to be there?" Conner lived with his older sister Flora, whom Henry knew was actually Mulan.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm pretty sure she doesn't have to work tomorrow," Conner replied.

"Okay, I'll be there." Henry confirmed. He and Conner said their goodbye's and Henry slowly walked over to his mom.

Regina glanced at Conner, who stood by the curb waiting for the bus. "Who was that?"

Henry rolled his eyes as he got into the car, "After all this time, you _still_ don't know any my classmates?"

"Well sorry for being too busy running this entire town to memorize everyone's names and faces," Regina replied sarcastically as she started the car and began driving hom. "I don't think you should being hang out with someone like that. Promise me you'll stay away from him."

"Someone like what? You just said you didn't know anything about him." Henry pouted. "Besides, he's my partner for a class assignment; we have a make a presentation about our favorite country and it's due next week. We're working on it at his home tomorrow night."

"And you decided that without telling me?" Regina shook her head, "Well, maybe I should have a talk with Miss Blanchard about what kind of assignments are appropriate for a boy your age."

"You don't think the assignment is inappropriate; you just don't want me spending time with anyone who isn't you." Henry accused.

"Sweetie you're being ridiculous," Regina brushed him off, "When are you going to learn that I'm only looking out for you?" They spent the rest of the car ride in uncomfortable silence until Regina at least attempted a compromise. "Okay, you can go to Conner's house, but you have to call me every hour to make sure you're alright and focusing on your homework. Does that sound fair?"

Henry's sour look changed to neutral resignation, "I guess."

The following day after school Henry and Conner took the bus to Conner's apartment and go there just as Flora returned from work, still wearing her navy blue scrubs and carrying bags of supplies for their project.

"Hey guys," she smiled at them and unlocked the door. "I'm gonna get some rest, but if you need anything wake me up. I already ate on my break, but if you're hungry you can order takeout with my credit card; nothing too expensive please."

After Flora went into her room and shut the door, the boys sprawled on the living room floor and got to work. A few hours later, they got hungry, so they decided to order sandwiches and fries from Granny's. By 9:00 PM they decided they had made good enough progress and tried to play video games, but Flora woke up and sent them to bed.

As they lay on Conner's bed in their pajamas, Conner whispered to Henry, "Can you keep a secret?"

Henry nodded, squirming with excitement; he almost felt like a normal kid - going to a friend's house, having a sleepover, sharing secrets.

"You know the Zimmer twins? They just moved into the missing lady's house."

"Priscilla Jefferson's? Why would their parents move there?"

Conner shook his head, "They don't have parents. Their mom died a few months ago and their dad isn't around. They've been living in an abandoned warehouse every since, but since Miss Jefferson's house is empty..."

"They're get in so much trouble for that!"

"Shhhh," Conner hissed. "I know, that's why you can't tell anybody. Anyway, since the house is really from town, they have a hard time getting food and stuff up there. They can't be seen going into the woods too often, you know. I've been helping them out and bringing them stuff, but could you help too. They really need it and if the police find out, they'll be sent into foster care and split up."

Henry thought back to how Emma described her foster care experience - not in great detail but enough to make him shudder. "Of course I'll help."

"Thanks, you're the best Henry," Conner smiled at him. "But you can't tell anyone, especially not your mom."

"Not a word," Henry promised.

* * *

Mary was sitting at the kitchen table, wrapped in a fluffy white duvet and grading homework, when Emma got down the stairs wearing her red leather jacket, jeans, boots, and badge. "No hot date tonight?" Emma joked.

"Hmm?" Mary looked up. "Did you say something?"

"You know, I don't think I've ever seen you go on a date," Emma noted.

"Well, likewise," Mary replied defensively.

"Yeah, but you know dating isn't my thing."

Mary turned her chair, letting one arm drape across the back so she could face Emma. In contrast to Emma's tough, practical look, Mary wore an over-sized sweater, pajamas pants, and striped socks. "I'm sure it isn't," she drawled. "Are you going to work tonight? I though you didn't have any night shifts."

"Graham and I traded shifts." Emma explained as she pulled her curls into a ponytail. "And as much as I'd like to stay and chat, I've got to get to work. Don't wait up."

"Stay safe," Mary chirped as Emma went out.

Nothing noteworthy happened all night, not even a bar-fight, and Emma almost went to sleep a few time from sheer boredom. She decided the best thing she could do at the moment was go on patrol, so she got in her squad car and drove the length of the town. Once, she saw Mr. Gold arguing with the newcomer, Killian Jones, outside the library, but neither man was getting physical and she figured it wasn't her business. They quieted when they noticed her. Gold had a look of cold determination; Jones had one of trepidation; Emma ignored the unease it caused her.

At two in the morning, she double-backed on Baron Street ready to returned to the station when she saw a dark figure come from the Mills' back door. Her first thought was of Henry's safety. She parked reflexively, popped out the vehicle, and approached the stranger.

"You better have a damn for reason for being here," she growled. If that bastard had laid a hand on Henry...

The figure frozen and a familiar voice came from his mouth, "Emma?"

"Graham?!" As she got nearer, Emma recognized Graham, though he wore a panicked, wild-eye expression. "What the hell? I though you were at the animal shelter."

"I _do_ work at the animal shelter, but..."

"But what? What are you doing here?" Emma's eye moved from his face to his half-buttoned top and undone belt. "You're fucking Regina!"

"Please keep it down, I can explain!"

She hissed, "You lied to me and put me on the night shift so you could get laid? Are you fucking serious?"

"Emma-"

"While Henry's in the house? That's disgusting."

"Actually he's at a friend's house tonight," Graham replied, "He doesn't know about this."

"Then I wish I was Henry right now." Emma wrinkled her nose.

Graham looked defeated, "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that to you."

Emma didn't feel like yelling at him any more, not when he looked this pathetic. "Go home, Graham, I have a shift to finish."

* * *

Storybrooke gave him the creeps, and the fact that the Crocodile resided in this town didn't help matters. Killian had spent his first two days trying to find the Dark One's dagger with no luck and he began to wonder if it had even come over with the curse. There was a lot he didn't understand about this or the Dark One's plans, but he knew if he wanted his revenge, he'd have to figure out quickly.

* * *

Everything about King's George's palace felt too large; the endless hallways, the dizzying ceilings, the hulking furniture constantly made David feel out of place and unsure of himself. Any other thirteen year old shepherd boy might been glad to welcome into the king's palace, but David didn't trust King George and that mistrust extended to everything belonging to the king. The king's guards had ordered David from his home without an explanation and he wanted nothing more than to go back.

When he first arrived, servants stripped him, bathed him roughly, cut his long hair, and dressed him in plain white linen; no matter how much he protested or how humiliated he felt, they kept to their tasks. He felt like a prized cow being combed and prodded for flaws. Then they sent him for a private audience for a king, something he never would have anticipated. What could King George possibly want with him?

When the king saw him, his neutral expression softened to something close to affection, before reverting back. "You do look just like him," King George remarked.

David tried to not fidget in front of the stern, powerful man, "Like who?"

King George didn't look surprised. "Your parents didn't tell you about your twin brother." It was a statement, not a question.

A knot formed in David's throat, "I had a twin brother, James, but he died when we were babies."

"So, they took the coward's way out and lied to you," King George remarked coldly. "They sold James to me, and he is now my son."

The words brewed in David's mind for a few minutes before he fully comprehended them and, just as coldly, he answered, "My mother and father would never do something like that; they're good people. _You're_ the liar."

The few attendant courtiers gasped at David's audacity, but King George hushed them. He addressed David, "You are an ignorant child, and for that I cannot fault your outburst, but know that such behavior will not be tolerated here."

"And how long do I have to stay here?" David asked.

King George signed deeply. "I am brokering a marriage alliance between Prince James and the daughter of King Midas. King Midas and Princess Abigail will be arriving in the palace in a fortnight to finalize it, but James... James went riding his horse a week ago and has not been seen since. If he is not present for the royal visit, all my hard work will be undone. Until he's found, you must take his place. You'll be trained and education to approximate James' normal behavior. Nobody can know that the crown prince is missing."

"What if he isn't found?" David asked.

King George gave David a hard look with the answer neither of them wanted.

* * *

In hindsight, David always suspected the plan to impersonate Prince James would end in disaster. Not only had he offended King Midas - by _mistake_ , how was he suppose to King Midas despised witches because one had killed his wife?! - and ruined King George's alliance, he had started a brawl in the middle of the throne room and came out bleeding from a knight wound to his side. The last thing he saw before he fled the palace was King George barking an order to the court warlock, Bo Peep. She raised her left toward David and magic came writhing from her fingertips to swirl around David like smoke.

He made it deep into the woods before he realized he was no longer human.


	13. Son of a Witch

Killian walked along the dock breathing in deep the salty sea air as the fishing ships returned to shore. It had been too long since he'd been on the water and his feet ached to stand on a deck again, especially if the Jolly's deck. He'd been trapped in this godforsaken realm for almost 30 years, not aging, watching this strange, uncaring world pass by him. Dusk fell when the last of the ships docked and Killian watched the fisherman bring in their catches.

"Are you a sailor?" One of the fishermen address Killian out of the blue.

Killian snapped out of the reverie and answered, "I was. Haven't been on the water in a long time, though."

While his coworkers finished the job, the fisherman approached Killian with a smile and remarked, "Once a sailor, always a sailor." He extended his hand, "Teddy Mishra."

"Please to meet you. Killian Jones," he replied as he accepted Teddy's handshake.

"Don't mind me asking, but what brings you to Storybrooke?" Teddy asked. Behind then, the sun set the sea shimmering like citrine and the fishermen put away their equipment away.

"Mishra!" one of the other man bellowed from the deck of his ship, _The King's Crown_ , "Don't you have a job to do?"

Teddy grimaced, "Sorry, I gotta go."

A feeling he had no name for seized Killian and without think he offered, "Let me help out; like you said, once a sailor, always a sailor."

* * *

"Papa!" Killian pulled his hand from his mother's hand and ran down the front lawn of the palace as quickly as his four-year-old legs could carry him, stumbling and nearly tripping every few yards, but remaining determined nonetheless. On the other side of the lawn, his father exit a carriage with the seal of the royal navy engrave on the side. When he saw his younger son barreling toward him, Admiral Brennan Jones smiled, shrugged off his coat with its heavy, metal badges and waited for Killian to leap into his arms. The force of the impact shook Brennan off balance and he felt onto the lush, damp grass, not caring for the stains that would cover his linen shift.

"There's my boy," Brennan laughed in his deep, salt-roughened voice as Killian giggled from atop his chest, "Dear me, you've gotten so big since I saw you last!"

"I'm gonna be as big _you_ someday!" the child boasted, laughing even more loudly as Brennan gentle nudged him off his chest. "Even bigger! Twice as big!"

Brennan made an expression of exaggerated surprise. "Twice as big! How are you going to that when you refuse to eat your vegetables?" he teased his younger son.

Killian made a face.

"Welcome back, Admiral." Delfina Jones smirked at the sight of her son and husband sitting in the grass. She wore a light muslin dress the color of beach sand that stood out against her russet skin and her thick black hair hung loose to her waist with ocean waves.

Brennan lifted himself to his feet and kissed his wife, while Killian to make an annoyed gagging sound. Brennan playfully rolled his eyes at his son's antics and asked Delfina, "Where's Liam?"

"While you were at sea," Delfina explained, "Baron Gylsey asked for my permission to take Liam under his wing. They left for the Gylsey estate two weeks ago."

Brennan's jovial mood dissipated. "You sent him away?"

"Don't say it like that," Delfina crossed her arms, "It'll be good for Liam to have more role models that help him grow into a man."

"He has me," Brennan scoffed, "And his uncles, my men, even King William for God's sake. You agreed without waiting to consult me."

"There wasn't time!" Delfina took a deep breath, "Let's not fight when you've barely returned home, my love. What's done is done and I promise you, Liam is in good hands. Come inside, wash up, and let's eat breakfast as a family."

Brennan's shoulders come down in acquiescence. "As you say, my love."

* * *

"You haven't answered my question yet," Teddy pointed out as he and Killian walked from the docks to Teddy's truck, a rusting green monstrosity that everyone know by the sputtering of its ancient engine. Killian squinted, trying to remember which question his new acquiescence was referring to until Teddy repeated, "What you doing in Storybrooke? It's not that I don't like seeing new faces, but this place is pretty off-the-map and there's not much going on; at least not until recently."

"To be honesty, Storybrooke wasn't a destination I had in mind. I sort of just ended up here. Maybe fate brought me here."

Teddy laughed, "You did give off a bit of an "emotionally-tortured nomad" kind of vibe."

Part of Killian wanted to be annoyed, but at the same time he couldn't help but laugh as well. "Did I?"

"I'm just saying, I haven't seen anyone new come to Storybrooke in my life, then in the past two months you and Deputy Swan show up out of the blue. It makes a guy wonder." Teddy shrugged.

Killian looked confused, "The blonde woman? I thought she was local."

"Only moved here a few weeks before you showed up," Teddy explained. "But she does fit in pretty well, doesn't she? Do you know how long you're staying in town?"

"Longer than I initially planned, mostly likely," Killian replied cryptically.

Teddy since that Killian wouldn't appreciate going further with this line of questioning, so he decided to change the topic. "You said you haven't been in a ship in a while; what are you doing now?"

"Little bit of this, little bit of that; whatever pays the bills."

Teddy accepted the non-answer and smiled, "Well, if you miss being on the water, my crew's always looking for an extra set of hands."

"Is just one acceptable?" Killian raised an eyebrow and held out his arms.

For the first time Teddy noticed that Killian's left hand was actually flesh-colored prosthetic and he felt like a complete idiot for not realizing it sooner. Still, he joked, "Help bring in the fish and stay out of the boss's way, and you might get to keep the other one."

For a heartbeat, Teddy worried his sense of humor might have been in poor taste, but Killian just reared his head back and let out a genuine laugh. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."

* * *

Killian stood straight and tried to keep still as the court proceedings took place, trying his best not to embarrass himself or his family in front of all these important people. His father was the admiral of His Majesty's Navy, his mother was the king's warlock, and his older brother was the apprentice of Baron Gylsey, which meant he had a lot to live a difficult task for a six year old who was bored out of his mind. The king and his officials droned on and on about the customs and laws young Killian barely understood. His parents, normally indulgent of his whims, focused only on the king.

A long line of people, courtiers and nobles and peasants and foreigners alike, pleaded their cases to the king's one at a time, until their voices all blended together in Killian's head. His eyes darted around the room for something interesting to place his attention on, but everyone in the room seemed determined to be as dull as possible. Ladies in the stiff-collared gowns and painted faces, daintily fanning themselves; their husbands besides them stroking their beards contemplatively; even the other children in the throne room sat with the glass-eyed expressions of finely made dolls.

Just as he feared he might begin to fall asleep, the doors of the throne room flew open with a loud, sharp slam that almost knocked Killian off his seat. Soldiers and sailors hurried to the king's side with their swords drawn and Killian's mother summoned two balls of fire to hands as a warning to the intruder. Killian's heart raced and he tried to make himself seem as small as possible.

A writhing black mass crept into the throne room, a shape like boiling black tar sliding across the polished marble floors. The foul smell made Killian and others gag out loud, even from across the massive chamber. Everyone moved out of the way of the... Creature? Object? Spell? It stopped halfway between the front entrance and the throne, where the king sat glaring at it in disgust, before retreating. It left a trail of black slime in its place...and a little girl.

A slimy grey film covered her from head to toe, dripping from her shaggy brown hair and filthy rags. She shivered as her wide blue eyes searched the room for help, for pity. Delfina put out her flames and cautiously approached the child.

Only, it wasn't a child at all. She stretched unnaturally and her face morphed into that a large-mouthed cat with bright red eyes. The creature lunged at her, pinning her to ground as it opened it's huge, gaping mouth to tear into her with knife-like teeth. Only the quick-thinking of a young soldier, a boy who barely looked old enough to shave, saved the royal warlock. On instinct he plunged his sword into the creature's back, stopping just short of cutting into Delfina's stomach. The creature let out a ghastly howl as it's blood burst onto everyone in the vicinity, and it collapsed dead on top of it's intended victim.

It all happened so fast, it was over before Killian realized his mother had almost been killed right before his eyes. When that fact caught up with him, he fell to his knees in horror and relief. Forgetting his place, he ran to her side as two more soldiers lifted the creature from on top of her and hugged her tightly despite the black blood covering her from chin to knee.

It took a moment for the shock to wear off, then she hugged him back.

"A ghoul," people became to whisper. Somehow a ghoul had gotten into the king's palace and attacked his warlock.

"What should be done with her, your Grace?" one of the generals asked the king.

The king stoke his short, white beard. As the shock of what just happened wore off, he glared at Delfina without empathy, "How did you allow this intrusion to happen? Your duty is to protect this court from the magic of outsiders? How did the ghoul enter under your watch? It could have killed me!"

Delfina let go out Killian and stood up in her bloodstained garments, "Magic is not an exact science, your Grace. Other successors are constantly trying to find ways to get past each other's defenses."

"I've had enough of your excuses!" King William barked, and Delfina flinched. "Remove this...remove her from my castle immediately. And do _not_ return here."

"Your Grace, I beg your pardon!" Delfina gasped, "My husband, my sons-"

King William held up his hand to signal her to stop speaking, his face stony and unforgiving. "You've disappointed me once too often, Lady Jones. I cannot trust you to keep me and the royal court safe. Your family may remain here, and you are not banished from my realm, but you are no longer welcome in this palace. Court is dismissed."

The king rose from the throne and left through the west wing, courtier falling behind him and leaving the stands like snow melting in sun, and the Jones family was left alone with the strange girl. Delfina looked at the girl with pure hatred before she turned her gaze back to Brennan and Killian. She met their shocked, devastated faces with silence and tears. When Killian ran up to her to embrace her, she stopped him and said, "I...I have do what King William ordered."

Under the cold gaze of the palace guards, Delfina said goodbye to her family and began her final task as a royal warlock.

* * *

The sun beat down on the back of Killian's neck as he and Liam stood at the docks beyond the royal palace, watching the members of the royal navy board the ship. Their father had declined to say goodbye to them the night before, sending his manservant to dismiss them when they came to his chambers in the middle of night. They wouldn't get another chance to speak with him before he set sail. Sometimes Killian wondered if he'd done something to make Father angry at him and Liam, but he couldn't think of anything he'd done that would make Father this cold toward them.

"Witchson!" someone shouted, and Killian felt a small rock hit him in the back of his head. He spun around in an instant, but his harasser had already fled.

Since his mother's banishment from the castle, he and Liam had been hearing that word thrown at them almost everyday. As a royal warlock, Mother had been the most respected sorcerer in the realm, but now she sold her services to anyone who needed a luck charm or to removed a painful curse. Just another witch, an outcast. To spare Father the shame of her company, she had moved to a town in the far south of the kingdom, where nobody knew her, under a different name. She wrote to them frequently, but each letter was shorter and less coherent than the one before. Father never spoke of her name. Once the news the Jones family's fall from the king's favor reached Gylsey, he sent Liam back, saying they're weren't a good fit together after all.

Killian had not seen his mother's face since the night the palace guards escorted her from castle grounds, almost a year ago. And now Father was leaving too.

"Ignore them," Liam said as he wrapped his around Killian. "People will call you whatever they want, that doesn't mean it's who you are. Don't ever let someone else tell you who you are."

* * *

Killian had never had an easy time fitting in, nor had he ever been particularly interested in doing so, but he fell in easily with the other fisherman; the sea had a way of bringing people together. He quietly slipped into the ritual of meeting at Storybrooke's only bar, The Rabbit Hole, and people treated him as though he'd been there his whole life. It was a odd feeling, but not an unwelcome one. By his first full month in town, half of the crews had learned not to bet against him in poker and the other half had learned not to try to tease out his life story.

One night, in the aftermath of a brutal autumn storm and the repairs that needed to be made to their boats and the docks themselves, Killian noticed that Teddy had less of a spring in his step that normal. Teddy drank his beer quietly while sitting practically in the corned, and nothing, not even the usual petty bickering of their crew-mates, seemed to interest him. His friend's - Killian realized he hadn't had one of those in a while - grey mood poke the edge of his attention all night, until Killian couldn't stand seeing Teddy so miserable and dragged himself.

"What?!" Teddy snapped when they were standing under the moon, with no company but the glowing eyes of stray cats.

It then occurred to Killian that he didn't have much practice in helping someone going through a difficult time, and wasn't that depressing?

"You seen upset," he said.

Teddy rolled his eyes, "Yeah, 'cause you dragged me out here."

Killian tightened his jaw, then loosened it - Teddy had never been this snappish before. "This isn't like you. What's eating at you, mate?"

"It's nothing you can help with, so just leave it," Teddy tried to leave, but Killian grabbed him by the elbow.

"You're not getting away from me that easily," Killian warned. "I'm just trying to be friend."

Teddy awkwardly put his hands in his pockets and hung his head, "You're gonna think I'm stupid."

"Maybe, maybe not, but you'll have to tell me before I can make that call."

Surprisingly, Teddy cracked a brief smile before his uncomfortable demeanor returned. "It's Ashley Boyd. You know she's got that custody thing, right?"

"Oh. You mean, it's yours?" Killian asked.

"No," Teddy shook his in way that made Killian suspect he wished it was. "I...have feelings for Ashley. It started a few weeks ago and I got kind of a crush on her, but now she's all I think about. And it's so stupid because the last thing she needs right now is me hovering over her shoulder trying to ask her when she's court dates coming up. And if she wins, she'll have a newborn around. And I kind of feel like an absolute asshole watching her go through all this and not doing anything; just standing to the side thinking of how pretty she looks while her life's falling about." The self-disgust was evident in his tone and expression. "I feel like I'm...frozen."

"Nothing is stopping you from being with Ashley, if she wants to be with you." Killian answered. Teddy like at him like he were speaking an entirely different language. "And nothing's stopping you if you want to help her. Just go out and do it."

Teddy ran a hand through his hair, "Just go out and do it?"

"If she rejects you, she rejects you, but if you keep moping like that you'll never be with her anyway. Give yourself a chance to be happy, even if it might be awkward or painful at first."

"Was one of your past jobs a motivation speaking?" Teddy joked, the barest of smiles appearing on his face.

"Oh, it was that obvious?" Killian grinned.

After a moment's silence, Teddy admitted, "It felt good to talk about it, for once. I haven't even told my mom or aunt how I feel?"

"What about your dad?"

"Let's just say we're not close," Teddy shrugged. "I guess this talk is what I needed to clear my head."

Killian slung an arm around Teddy's shoulder, "Let's go rejoin the fun."

Just as he as said those words, a loud thud echoed from inside the bar and shouting rang through the night. Killian and Teddy jogged up to the front door and threw it open, where inside a roaring crowd formed around three men in the back of the bar, near the pool tables.

"Damn it," Killian hissed under his breath. "Good thing you were so moody tonight."

Teddy ignored the cut and called the police to break it up before someone got hurt. "I'm going home," he told Killian as he slipped his phone back into his jean pockets. "You need a ride?"

"I'm good. Actually, I think I'll stay here and keep an eye on things."

"Suit yourself," Teddy shrugged. He pursed his lips for a second, then added, "And, uh, thanks. For what you said before."

Killian smiled at him, "Anytime."

The police - Deputy Swan to be exact - arrived just as Teddy got into his truck and drove off. Her big, brown eyes zoomed in on Killian immediately, "You called?"

"My friend did, actually, but he had to leave. We were outside talking when the fight broke out," Killian explained, hoping she'd believe him and not assume he had started the fight

She nodded, accepting his word without question, and stormed inside to get everything under control. Killian followed after, watching with amusement, and a even a little admiration, at how she got a bunch of drunk, angry men - some of whom were twice her size - to shut the hell up and stop fighting. She ended up arresting the three guys at the center of the conflict and had to called Graham for back-up, since they all couldn't fit in the back of her squad car.

"Nice job handling that crowd," Killian noted after he finished giving his official statement.

"Uh, thanks." Emma grimace. When Killian gave her a pointed look, she looked down and scoffed, "This isn't where I imagined I'd be. Sometimes I still can't believe I'm here."

"In Storybrooke, or in law enforcement?" Killian asked. He quickly explained, "I had heard you were recent transplant, like me."

"Either," she shrugged. "When Henry came to get me, I just thought I'd be dropping him home, but now..." She gestured vaguely to the immediate surroundings.

"Who's Henry? Boyfriend?"

Emma scoffed, "God, no. He's the mayor's son and he's, like, ten."

"I don't follow," Killian blinked. "The mayor's ten year old son came to get you from...wherever you were-"

"Boston."

"From Boston. Why he'd go from Boston to get you?"

"It's, uh, hard to believe. Henry thinks - I'm mean, he's 110% convinced - that the town is under a curse."

Killian's skin chilled by a few degrees, but he pretended not to be bothered. "As in magic? Actual magic?"

Emma looked over her shoulder, as if afraid Henry would walk in and hear her, "It's so freaking bizarre. He got his hands on the storybook that says the Evil Queen, Snow White's mother, cast a curse on the whole Enchanted Forest. According to him, everyone in town is a character from his book - Sleeping Beauty, The Snake Prince, Goldilocks, Rumpelstiltskin. That sort of thing. Anyway, he got the idea in his head that I was Snow White's missing daughter and that I could break the curse and save everyone."

Killian almost vomited.

God- _fucking_ -damn, that would explain a lot wouldn't it? Had the Evil Queen been responsible for his condition? Waking up in the streets of New York with no clue how he got there or how to get back? Realizing that he was in a realm with no magic? His inability to age, which forced him to move from place to place before anyone got suspicious? He would have guessed the Dark One had orchestrated his exile, but the Evil Queen seemed just as likely. She may not have been after him specifically; his last 28 years of misfortune may have just been a welcome bonus.

He forced himself out of his thoughts when he noticed that Emma appeared to become concerned. "Wow," he coughed, "That's, uh, that's..."

"Yeah, I know," Emma chuckled. "I mean, obviously none of that stuff's real, but it's a big deal to him."

Killian raised an eyebrow, "You don't believe in magic."

"Not since I was, like, four," Emma replied, "Do you?"

"I guess you could say that." Killian muttered.

Emma narrowed her eyes at him, trying to look upset, but a small smile played on her lips. "Do I have to worry about you, Jones? Not gonna put some nasty potion in my drink, are you?"

"Not at all, Swan." Killian replied as he raised a glass of beer to his lips.


	14. The Rose

Few people in the city of Port d'Illyrie had no heard of Monsieur Henri Maurice, if not for his famous wealth then for his electric brood of children. Electric, because they were not his children by blood; M. Maurice had never been interested in getting a wife (or husband), but he was made for fatherhood, so he went down to the orphanage every once in a while to find another child to raise. In twenty years, he had adopted 6 children: Charles, Louis, Josephine, Yvette, Olivier, and the youngest, Rosalie; who was so beautiful that everyone began calling her La Belle, then simply Belle.

M. Maurice made his living in trade, which garnered him a great deal of wealth and respect. His sons spent many hours in Port d'Illyrie's gambling dens drinking and entertaining women, most of whom hoped to marry into the family and enjoy their lavish lifestyle. His two elder daughters menaced the local seamstresses, cobblers and jewelers with ever-increasing demands for elaborate gowns, shoes, earring, necklaces, pendants, and more. Almost every man in the city had proposed to each of them, but they swore to only marry a man as wealthy as their father.

In contrast to her siblings, Belle's interest lay in books. She spent many days in the library or under the shade of the maple tree in her backyard absorbed in the words of poets, scholars, and king. Most of all, she relished in tales of heroes and warriors who protected the innocent and bringing justice to lawless kingdoms. As a little girl, she would run around the gardens and orchards of her father's estate pretending to a knight and drove her nursemaids mad with her antics.

Belle's carefree life shattered forever when her father returned home pale and soaking wet. M. Maurice collected all his children in the sitting room, sat in his favorite armchair wrapped in heavy wool blankets, and explained that 4 ships carrying his investments had been swept away in a storm. He was financially ruined.

In a whirlwind few days, M. Maurice had been forced to sell most of his material possessions to cover his debts (despite Josephine and Yvette pleading on their knees to keep their jewels) and he let all his servants go with glowing recommendation to future employers. M. Maurice sold the mansion they could no longer afford to live in and bought a small farm outside the city; the rest of the money would be used for emergencies only.

The five elder children meandered around in a state of shock (when they weren't lamenting their misfortune), but little Belle rolled up her sleeves, put her childhood dreams to the side, and put her whole heart into making her new life a good one. She planted a vegetable garden outside her and her sisters' bedroom window; she make sure her sisters didn't neglect their new chores; she pestered her brothers into learning to farm to lift some of the burden from their father's old, slumped shoulders; she sang and told stories in the evenings to keep their spirits up. Despite their hissing and grumbling, Belle's siblings were grateful to have her make the transition a little more bearable. M. Maurice didn't know what he would do without Belle and she cemented herself as his favorite child.

A year into their exile, a courier arrived on the farm on horseback; one of M. Maurice's ship arrived safely in port. His sons had him in a traveling coat and out the door so quickly, his daughters almost missed the chance to say goodbye. Josephine and Yvette send him off with a list of dressmakers and jewelers he had to see once they got their fortune back.

When he asked Belle what she wanted upon his returned, she replied, "As long you home safely, Papa, that's enough for me."

"My dear, you must want something. I couldn't bare to see you go without," M. Maurice told her.

Belle acquiesced and said, "Then bring me the most beautiful rose you find."

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin watched Killian Jones leave the Rabbit Hole after the bar fight (and an inordinate amount of time spent flirting with Emma Swan; wasn't that a surprise?) from his shop window. A few nights ago, he'd caught Jones snooping around his shop and it took all his willpower not to strangle the man. He didn't know how much Jones remembered of the Enchanted Forest, but he knew better than he show all his cards; Jones didn't know anything about him, either.

Damn Delfina Jones, he'd never be rid of that woman. Even from beyond the grave, she'd sent her son to try to ruin his plans. Although, things had been going off the rails since Queen Snow had chosen to send her infant daughter to the Land Without Magic instead of one of her sons. If Leopold, the crown prince, were the Savior, he might have already found Baelfire and woken Belle from the sleeping curse, but no, he had to deal with the stubborn princess who knew nothing of magic and refused to believe in anything.

Before he knew it, weariness crept up on him and Rumpelstiltskin decided to call it a day and return home. When he reached the driveway, he noticed Mrs. Jackson's car in the driveway and dread hit him like a baseball bat.

When he got into his house, he found Mrs. Jackson in Belle's room standing over her with a concerned expression. "Good evening, Mrs. Jackson. I thought you'd be home by now."

"Normally I would be, but I stayed behind to talk to you about Belle's condition - it seems to be worsening. Her oxygen saturations have been getting lower today and I'm worried that she's developing pneumonia."

Rumpelstiltskin noticed that Belle's face had an unusual pallor. "Then why didn't you call me?!" he snapped.

"I did. Multiple times," Mrs. Jackson answered coolly.

Irate, Rumpelstiltskin grabbed his phone from his pocket and saw all the missed calls and text messages. He made a sour expression and said, "So, how do you plan to treat her? Do you have everything you need here?"

"Here? No, she needs to go a hospital."

"That's out of the question. Privacy is a top priority."

"It's gonna have to come after Belle's wellbeing," Mrs. Jackson said firmly, "I don't have all the necessary equipment to treat her, not to mention, I can't be with her round the clock."

"Then drop your other clients and I'll double your pay."

Mrs. Jackson looked at him incredulously, "Aren't you hearing me? Belle needs to be in a hospital. As soon as possible."

Rumpelstiltskin clenched his teeth. He'd done a good job of keeping Belle's existence secret from Regina, but now there was no chance Regina wouldn't find out and somehow use Belle against him. But he couldn't compromise Belle's health, not when he was so close to finally reviving her.

"Fine," he growled, "Call an ambulance and have her taken to Storybrooke General."

Rumpelstiltskin watched Belle resting in the hospital bed, hooking up to IV and monitors and, not for the first time, it really struck him had drastically their lives had altered from the peaceful, happy days spent together in his castle. He could almost picture her sitting by the hearth with a thick book, gently teasing him between chapters while he spun gold in the corner. He longed to press her soft, pink lips against his, to feel the warmth from her skin and hear her laughter. Here in her hospital bed, she could have passed for a corpse.

When someone knocked on the door, Rumpelstiltskin glared and wearily said, "Come in." He already knew who it was.

Regina entered with a wicked basket full of apples and a smile full of icy-white teeth. "I wish I could say 'Good evening,' but it's not, is it? When I heard what happened to your wife, I just had to stop by."

Rumpelstiltskin did not reply.

Making her voice sound innocent and sweet, Regina remarked, "After all the years we've known each other, I can't believe I have never met her. It's almost as if you've been hiding her from me. Anyway, I thought you'd like some apples; they're picked from my favorite tree."

"Keep them," Rumpelstiltskin answered in a empty voice.

She patted his head condescendingly, "I understand this is a difficult time for you, so I'll forgive your rudeness."

Regina set the apples down and stood on Belle's other side. Rumplestiltskin resisted the urge to throw her out of the window.

"You can go now," he growled.

Regina played with a lock of Belle's hair, "She's so beautiful, isn't she? Who wouldn't fall for that pretty face? It's shame this is happening to her, but she probably won't get much worse. Not if you take very, very good care of her."

"Get out." Rumpelstiltskin hissed.

"I can see you don't want company, so I'll let you have your privacy, but don't think I won't be checking up on you and your darling wife," Regina threw him a cold smile and left.

M. Maurice's hopes died like a candle in rain when he reached Port d'Illyrie and learned that his former business partners had gutted the ship for anything of monetary worth. He had just enough money to rent a room at the inn for a night and buy one hot meal, and the next morning he set off with home and his soon-to-be-disappointed children. M. Maurice retraced his steps, but as the freezing forest grew denser, he realized that he had lost his way. He went back the way he come, but that only get him more lost than ever. Snow come down from the sky gently, but the fierce wind threatened to rip his cloak from his shoulders.

Midnight fell, the stars and full moon glowing against the black sky as Maurice spotted smoke arising in the distance. If he couldn't find home soon, he could at least find some shelter from the bitterly cold night. He traveled along the desolate, lonely trail until he came upon a cavernous castle made of black stone. He entered the gates and tried to announce himself, but no one answered.

While he wandered through the castle's many rooms, M. Maurice looked out a window and saw a greenhouse with hundreds of blood red roses in full bloom.

Belle got down from the unsteady wooden chair after she finished hanging the newly-washed drapes over her bedroom window. She was the only one in the house doing chores, however, as her siblings were to busy dreaming of the riches their father would bring home; the expensive, tailored garments, the fine food and exotic wine, the nights of dancing and parties and gambling that awaited them when they returned to their former status. The year of solitude and humble labor melted off them like candle wax and they reverted to the spoiled, materialistic children she had known in Port d'Illyrie.

"Why the long face, Belle?" Josephine clutched her little sister's hands and gaily spun her around. Their dancing and laughing woke up Yvette. "When father comes home, everything will go back to normal. We'll finally be happy again!"

Belle gave Josephine a half-hearted smile, "I'm happy here. It's quiet and enjoying working with my hands."

"You're such an odd girl, Belle," Josephine giggled affectionately. She kissed Belle's cheek and continued, "If you want, we can keep the farm and hire a ton of servants to help you run it and keep you company. And we'll come visit whenever you want."

Yvette stretched her back and arms like a cat and joined in with, "Speak for yourself. Belle should come visit us, in civilization. If I never see this place again, it'll be too soon."

A few moments later, Charles pounded on the door and cried, "Father's returning. Olly spotted his horse from the roof."

"What was he doing on the roof?" Belle asked, but her sisters didn't hear her in the excitement to see their father again. Belle followed after them, while Louis joined them, and Charles and Olivier were already outside.

The Maurice siblings' excitement turned to disquiet when they noticed how pale and tired their father appeared. Charles and Olivier rushed forward to help their father from his horse, while Yvette went in the house to prepare warm blankets for him. The fright in Henri Maurice's eyes chased away all thought of riches from his children's minds, as they were now only concerned with their father's wellbeing.

As he drank a cup of tea Belle had prepared to warm him, M. Maurice recounted the unfortunate journey, from the discovery that his old friends had robbed him to the vast, gloomy castle and the beast that roamed inside.

"I thought, if I couldn't bring home anything else, at least I could bring Belle a rose," M. Maurice explained. "The beast was upon me on a moment. He told me that the curse was on me, and that I would eventually have to return to the castle unless someone else took my place."

"It should be me!" Belle cried instantly, tears in her eyes. "You wouldn't be cursed if I had just asks for dresses and shoes like Josie and Vettie."

Josephine snapped, "Don't be ridiculous, Belle. You are not to blame for this; we ought that horrid beast for cursing Papa."

"What else can we do?" Belle argued. "That monster will surely be back for him."

Charles put his hands on Belle's shoulders, "When the time comes, we will fight and kill the beast, before he can get him claws any more innocent people. We're warn our neighbors and friends of this threat, and they'll join our cause. Don't worry, little sister, this beast will never touch our father again." His answer did not reassure Belle, but she did not reply.

The next morning, Belle's bed and one of the stalls in the stable were empty.

* * *

From Belle's perspective, the castle didn't seem half as large or frightening as her father had described, though she knew better than to let her guard down. As she approached the gates opened on their our accords, almost as if they'd been expecting her. There was nobody around, so Belle stabled the horse herself and, once she was sure it would have enough food and water for the rest of the night, went into the castle to face the beast.

The modest-size foyer led her to a cavernous front hall that opened like the maw of a bear, with rows and rows of dimly-lit chandeliers for teeth.

"Hello? Hello!" Belle called.

"There's no need to shout," a low, grumbling, male-sounding voice that sounded only half-human appeared somewhere above her.

Belle snapped her head upward and scanned the upper level balcony that overlook the large room, but she saw nothing. Panic struck her then - she wanted to run but her legs had turned to lead. "Who are you?" Her voice warbled, "Where are you?"

"Unimportant," the voice replied. It had a grating qualities that send rough shivers down Belle's spine.

Despite this, Belle steeled herself, reminding herself that it was too late to turn back and she couldn't condemn her father. "Are you the beast?" she dared to ask.

Several moments passed before the voice answered again, "I suppose I am."

"I am Rosalie Maurice, daughter of Henri Maurice of Port d'Illyrie," Belle announced. "You placed a curse on my father and I am here to take his place. It was for me he picked that rose, so his punishment should be mine."

"You are mistaken. I did not curse your father, the curse grabbed hold of him," the Beast told her. "If you wish to take his place, you may, but do not lay your misfortune at my feet."

"Very well. I've told you my name, tell me yours," Belle said.

The voice did not reply, and Belle sensed that she was now alone. She wandered through the castle without aim, simply to familiarize herself with her new "home". Every surface of the castle had been polished clean and no matter where she turned, every corridor and every room lay empty; it could have been a tomb for all she knew.

A little spark of light shot by her eyes, and having getting used to the totally lack of light, Belle shrieked in surprised. A second later, the spark twirled around her head before floating in front of her eyes.

Belle blinked, "What's this?"

When she reached out to touch it, the spark move back slightly, but didn't leave. It move back a little move, but stayed within her sight. Belle took a step forward and the spark continued in that direction. She followed it until they reached a door in the west wing of the castle, and from there Belle opened it to a large, richly-decorated bedchamber with a bedroom, washroom, and sitting room.

She missed the bedroom she had shared with her sisters.

Belle did not leave the room for a week. Three times a day, food would cover table in the sitting room. When she wanted to bathe, the bathtub would be full of warm water; the wardrobe would have a new dress for her to wear; and when she returned to the washroom, the tub would be empty and clean as if she hadn't used it all. In the time, no one had come into her chambers.

She hadn't heard the voice of the beast, nor seen him outside her window. Eventually, boredom and the lure of the outdoor drew Belle out of her rooms. She wanted through the halls for half the morning, before she ventured outside. Plush, emerald green grass covered rolling hills as far as she could see, with large thickets dotting in the landscape and wild flowers blooming everywhere. She noticed the greenhouse with its gorgeous roses; she avoided it.

The being outdoors may have been nice, but it did little to relieve the crushing loneliness that threatened to envelope Belle. Growing up in a large family, she always had someone to play with or read to or argue with, but in this vacant castle, she might have well have been buried underground. And it was driving her mad.

One day, as she was wandering the halls again, she called out, "Are you still there?"

Belle felt embarrassed, shouting in an empty room, but then the Beast's voice answered, "I am. What do you want?"

"Can you see me, wherever you are?" she asked as she quickly looked around the room.

"I can sense you, because I tied to the castle, but no, I cannot see you," the Beast answered.

"You can't see me, or you don't want to see me?" Belle challenged. "You appeared in front of my father; at least, that's what he told me."

"At that time it was necessary that I show myself."

"Will you show yourself to me now? It's odd speaking to a voice and not having a face to put to it."

"I do not wish that."

That made Belle pause. So far, she'd only thought of him as an unstoppable, unfeeling force, but that idea that he didn't want her to know his appearance made him a little less mythical. Was the Beast...insecure about his looks? Belle pushed the thought from her head; more likely, he simply didn't think she was worthy of looking at him.

"Do you have a name?" Belle asked.

The Beast replied, "I did, once."

* * *

Hunger forced Rumpelstiltskin to leave Belle's side and go to the hospital cafeteria before he starved himself. He ate quickly, not tasting anything, but right before he got up to leave, a women in green scrubs and a white doctor's coat sat down across from him.

"Fancy seeing you here," Zelena smiled.

No, he reminded himself, this was Dr. Rosie West, a respecting and well-liked OBGYN; the only one in Storybrooke, in fact. He forced a response out of his throat, "I suppose. My...uh...my wife is ill."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Dr. West placed a hand over his.

Rumpelstiltskin repressed a shutter and tried to be polite. "I appreciate that."

"Truth be told, I didn't even know you were married. You don't wear a ring."

He shrugged, "I prefer to keep my private affairs to myself."

"Well, I should stop bothering you and let you get back to her," Dr. West got up.

Yes, please, Rumpelstiltskin thought.

Dr. West turned to leave, but then turned back, "I could keep tabs on her...if you want. Don't get my wrong, I'm sure she'll in good hands, but if you want to ask for while you're at work or can't come here... I don't know, you just seem so worried."

Rumpelstiltskin looked at her and knew immediately the offer was genuine. Rosie West had none of Zelena's malice or cruelty, but the irony of trusting his wife's well-being to Regina's sister wasn't lost on him.

"I'm touched. Thank you dearie."


	15. Real

Though Mulan guessed she should have expected it, Princess Aurora was terrible traveling companion. Since leaving her adopted family's home, she hadn't said a word to Mulan and seemed perpetually uncomfortable. The princess had spent her whole life on one little farm, occasionally visiting the small nearby village, so the wide world scared her out of her skin. The first time they stopped in a large city, Princess Aurora swayed around with her mouth so wide you could slip a dinner plate between her lips.

When they rode past a tailor's shop, Aurora made them stop so she could touch all the fabric. As they crossed a bridge, Aurora got off to watch the river roar past them. It was like babysitting an overly-curious child; at least Ah Ping hadn't been this annoying.

When Aurora stopped them in front of a crowd and got off the horse to listen to a ragged, white-haired woman lecture about the greed of the nobles, Mulan decided that she'd had enough.

She spun Aurora around and, trying hard not to yell at a princess, told her, "We are never going to get home in time if you insist on stopped every two seconds, so please focus on getting to the palace."

Aurora flushed, "Home? I left my home behind and I might never see it again."

"You're getting a new home, with people who love you."

"The king and queen-"

"Shhh," Mulan hissed as she pulled Aurora further from the crowd. "If you talk about your connection to them, you'll make yourself a target."

Aurora glared at her, "Fine...those people barely know me, let along love me."

"The only reason they sent you away was to protect you. They gave you your best chance," Mulan reminded her.

"And I'm grateful for that; I had a wonderful childhood," Aurora replied, "but they can't honestly expect me to start calling a pair of complete strangers 'Mama' and 'Papa'. My whole life, it's just been me and my mothers. They did everything for me. Am I suppose to just forget them?"

Mulan responded quietly, "No one's asking you to that."

"Can I write them? Can I visit them whenever I what?" Aurora snapped. "I have let people call me Aurora."

"Because it's your name," Mulan said.

"Only on paper." Aurora continued. Mulan wasn't sure if she should start thinking of her as Briar Rose instead. "I can't use my own name, what makes you think they'll let have a relationship with my real parents?"

"Stephan and Leah are real," Mulan assured her.

Aurora shook her head, "Not to me."

* * *

"There, done," Teddy smiled and gestured to the now-completed crib.

Ashley looked up from the mobile she'd been working on. She'd scraped it together from the skeleton of a mobile that she had recovered from the attic, probably one that use to belong to Ruby, and was fashioning it with trinkets and bubbles from the lost and found. The nicest piece was a small golden snake dotted with green gems. Ashley smiled, but it looked forced. "Thank you Teddy, it looks great."

He rose from where he knelt. "Is there anything else you need help with."

"No, I think that's enough." Ashley muttered. "It's late, I shouldn't keep you here."

Teddy put a comforting hand on her shoulder and said his goodbyes. As he walked home, he mused on the unfairness of Ashley's situation, that the mayor could take her baby away just because she wanted to. He couldn't even fathom how Regina had even gotten elected, considering everyone in town feared her, if not despised her. As Teddy drove home, he passed by Gold's pawnshop and noticed him getting out.

Without thinking, he stopped his truck and got out.

"Mr. Mishra," Gold acknowledged.

"Mr. Gold, can I ask you something?" Teddy clenched, "Why are you going along with this custody case?"

The pawnbroker made no expression, "Regina is my client, I'm just doing my job."

"But you know what she's doing is wrong. Ashley doesn't deserve to have her kid taken from her."

"Don't let your little schoolboy crush cloud your judgment," Gold replied. "Ashley's a lovely young lady, but some people are concerned that she doesn't have what it take to raise a child."

"And who are you to judge her? Do you have kids?" Teddy demanded.

Something cold and furious flashed in Gold's eyes before he composed himself once more. "Goodnight, Mr. Mishra."

Teddy physically block Gold from leaving, "Why are you loyal to Regina? You two can't stand each other; everyone in town can see, even Killian and the deputy."

"Right, I forgot you and Jones were friends," Mr. Gold muttered irritably. "Regina and I aren't friends, that's true, but I rather enjoy not having to constantly fight her. Useless some better opportunity comes my way."

"Like what?" Teddy's attention perked up.

Mr. Gold paused for a moment, as if deep in thought. "I need something that Regina would never lift a finger to get for me."

"What is it? If I get it to you, will you drop Regina as a client?"

"You can't do anything to help me," Mr. Gold chuckled, "but I appreciate your offer. Deputy Swan could, however. If she were willing to do me that favor, Regina will have to try to sue Ashley without a lawyer; which we both know she can."

"Emma cares about Ashley, she'll be willing to do it."

Mr. Gold smiled in a way that made Teddy both relieved and anxious, "Have her call me tomorrow, and I think we can work out a deal."

* * *

The first time Henry showed up at the empty Jefferson house with leftovers and some of his comic books, Ava and Nicholas yelled at Connor for revealing their secret to someone, but they calmed down after Henry swore he just wanted to help out. Having friends wasn't as easy as he thought it'd be. Ava, Nicholas, and Connor had been friends for years (longer than any of them knew), while Henry barely spoke to anyone but his mother and teachers for most of his life, so it took some adjustment before the four of them grew comfortable with each other.

Things changes when Ruby stumbled on a torn, bloody scarf in the woods, one that Emma recognized as belonging to Priscilla Jefferson.

Ava and Nicholas fled from the mansion, doing their best to cover up any trace of their presence before the police descended on the site to vultures. They then moved to an abandoned warehouse on the docks. Apparently weeks of living in the lavish mansion had spoiled them; Nicholas complained bitterly of the cold; Ava feared that a fisherman would wander over and discover them; Connor worried that it wasn't safe. Henry hated seeing his new friends stuck in this situation.

One day after school, Henry was helping the twins shoplift some food from the pharmacy when the clerk noticed them and called the police. He also tried to call their parents; Ava gave him a fake number and claimed their phone was disconnected. Dread washed over the three kids when the mayor marched in, her eyes dark with anger.

When the clerk told her what happened, Regina scoffed and said, "My son isn't a criminal. If he did do anything, it must have been because these hooligans tricked him into it."

Emma arrived moments later, wearing her red leather jacket and a frown. "Alright, what happened?"

Regina glared at her and sneered, "How many times do I have to warn you not to stick your nose in things involving my son?"

"I'm here because someone called the police," Emma tapped the bronze deputy badge on her hip, "and I'm the police."

"Well there's not much to tell," Regina rolled her eyes, "These two were stealing and somehow got Henry roped into it."

Ava spoke up, "Henry didn't have anything to do with it."

Henry looked at her, grateful, then turned to Emma. Her frowned deepened and her eyes bored into his. He might be able to fool the Evil Queen, but Emma had her superpower. "It was my idea," he confessed. "The twins went along with it."

Emma's gaze softened, satisfied that he told the truth.

Regina, as expected, looked ready to throw a fit, "Henry Daniel Mills, what are on Earth were you thinking? Since when are you a thief?"

"I'm sorry." Henry said.

"Sorry doesn't even come close," Regina shook her head. "I think those kids are a bad influence. Where are you parents?"

"Our mom's at home. She hasn't been feeling well." Ava lied.

Henry groaned internally. It was useless to lie to Emma, but she just raised an eyebrow and offered to drive the twins home after the owner decided not to press charges against the kids.

On the way home, Henry kept his head down to avoid eye contact with Regina as she went on about how disappointed in him she was. He answered her question monosyllabically until they got home and accepted his 3 week grounding without fuss. She went him upstairs and told him not to come down until she had dinner ready.

That night, as Henry finished up his homework, he heard his mother shouting at someone downstairs in her office. Curious, he crept of his room to eavesdropped, the words getting progressively clearer.

"You spineless son of a bitch - what did she offer - kind of excuse is that? - I'm being unreason - a fucking deal !- my family -"

When Henry had almost reached the door, Regina slammed it open

and stepped out looking ready to rip someone's heart out.

"Shouldn't you be in your room?!" she snapped at Henry.

"I...I came to say goodnight." Henry fibbed.

Regina blinked a few times, "Oh. I'm surprised, you haven't done that in a long time."

"What was all that yelling about?" Henry asked innocently.

"That," Regina signed deeply. "Remember how I told you Emma Swan was out to hurt our family? Well, she just showed her true colors. She manipulated Mr. Gold into dropping our case so that Ashley Boyd could keep the baby. I'm so sorry, sweetie, but she cheated you out of a little brother or sister. I know you looked up to her, but maybe this will teach you to be a little less trusting." She hugged Henry and kissed his forehead, "At least we still have each other."

When she let go, Henry replied, "It's okay. I'm fine being an only child and I'm sure Ashley will be a great mom."

Regina frowned, "Excuse me? Henry, Miss Swan kept my baby from me and you think it's no big deal?"

"It's Ashley's baby," Henry corrected.

"Did Miss Swan tell you that?" spat Regina. "Can't you see how she's trying to turn you against me? Do you have any idea how hard it is to adopt a child? I did it for you, and I was willing to do again to give you a sibling? Why are you acting like it's no big deal?"

"Well, it's not like I asked you to do any of that." Henry muttered.

Regina recoiled, "I can't believe you would say something like to me. Do you know how many kids wish they had parents who cared about them as much as I care about you? Do you know many kids wish they even had parents?"

An unwelcome, uncomfortable sense of guilt tugged on Henry's insides as he pictured the Zimmer twins returning to their warehouse. "Yeah..."

Regina held his face in her hands and forced him to look up at her, "I don't know what's going on with you, but I swear, we'll get through this together and you'll remember how much you love me."

* * *

After another long day of backbreaking chores, without the help of her beloved Jin, Ye Xian crawled into bed exhausted, but her stepmother burst into her room in the in the middle of the night.

"Get up!" Mei Fen grabbed Ye Xian by the arm and shook her awake.

Ye Xian was so confused she thought she was still dreaming at first, but the sting of Mei Fen's long fingernails told her it was real. "What it is? What happened?"

"Get up, you have to get Jun Li ready to see the prince. Wake up, you lazy bitch." Mei Fen dragged her half-conscious stepdaughter to Jun Li's bedroom and put her to work.

Slowly, Ye Xian gained her senses and learned that a prince from a far away kingdom was searching for a young woman he'd met a ball. She had left behind a shoe and the prince was going from door to door in search of her. Rumor had spread that the prince intended to marry the owner of the shoe.

Ye Xian dreaded the extent of Mei Fen's rage when the shoe didn't fit Jun Li. Since the night of the ball, Mei Fen had gradually become more demanding and violet. She increased Ye Xian's load of chores, something she hadn't thought was possible, and yelled so often she sometimes yelled herself hoarse. She hit, slapped, scratched and threw things at Ye Xian without even the smallest provocation.

Eventually, Ye Xian broke down and accepted that this was her lot in life. If she had been braver or more clever, she would have found a way to escape by now. Her mother had sent Jin to help her, and she had gotten him killed. She felt ashamed of herself for running off and going to the ball a silly, willful child and making a fool of herself in front of all those important people. Then running off when she thought her family saw her and returning home with her tail between her legs. The prince had stumbled upon her after the ball and saw what she really was, not a princess but a common laborer. It was humiliating. She fled from him before she had to face the brunt of his disappointment and judgment.

Whenever she hoped things would get better, they only got worse. Ye Xian just wanted to continue in relative peace, enduring Mei Fen's cruelty and drifting off to peaceful dreams at the end of each day, and forget those unfortunate episodes in her life.

Ye Xian bathed and perfumed Jun Li, combed and styled her hair, helped her into her second best gown (while Mei Fen screamed at her for not having Jun Li's best gown already laundered), and put on her best jewelry. By now, she was so accustomed to grooming and dressing her sister that Ye Xian could perform the task without thinking. Just as Ye Xian finished laying a tray of refreshments, a knock came to the door. Mei Fen swept her into the kitchen with the treat to kill her if she made a single noise, closed the heavy curtain behind her, and greeted the guests.

A royal servant announced the prince's arrival. Prince Nagaraj. His voice made Ye Xian's stomach flip - and made her heart ache. She remained behind the curtain as her sister and stepmother flattered the prince, and kept silence as Jun Li attempted to squeeze her foot into the show without success. She wished...

A gust of gold-tinted wind ripped into the house, tearing the curtain down from its fastening and leaving the occupants windswept and bewildered. Ye Xian remembered the gold dust that had masqueraded her the night of the ball. Now, she stood in front of Prince Nagaraj a third time. He looked shocked, but pleased, to see her again.

The prince turned to Mei Fen and Jun Li, "You told me there were no other women in the house."

"She wasn't at the ball," Mei Fen answered. "It doesn't make a difference."

"I stated that all women had a right to try on the shoe, including..." the prince turned back to Ye Xian, "What is your name?"

Jun Li cut in, "She's no one; just our maid."

Prince Nagaraj raised an eyebrow, "Maid? Odd how she looks like she could be your sister."

"Half-sister," Ye Xian whispered.

The prince's attention snapped back to her. "Half-sister?"

Ye Xian flinched when she realized he's heard her. What would Mei Fen do to her for this slip-up, for contradicting Jun Li. "My name is Ye Xian. She and I shared a father."

"Where is your father?" The prince asked.

Mei Fen answered for Ye Xian, "My dear, beloved husband passed away several years ago. My stepdaughter has been as much of a comfort to me as my our daughter, so much so that she offered to stay home and take care of some important chores while my daughter an I attempted King George's delightful ball. If you see him again, we would honored if you let him know how much we enjoyed his generous hospitality."

From his facial expression, one could tell that Mei Fen's speech had not moved Prince Nagaraj. He coolly ignored Mei Fen and asked Jun Li, "If she's your sister, why did you tell me she was your maid?"

Pretending to not know what he meant, Jun Li made an exaggeratedly innocent face, "Did I say maid? It must have been a slip of the tongue. I meant to say...I meant sister."

The paper-thin lie aroused suspicion in Prince Nagaraj and he looked more closely at Ye Xian. He noticed a small bruise on the side of her neck and a long, thin scratch cutting across her left shoulder. Concerned, he took her left arm and pushed back the long sleeve of her evening dress, then did the same to her right arm; more bruises and scratches littered her skin.

"What happened?" Prince Nagaraj cried.

"Wild animals!" Mei Fen explained. "She's spent a lot of time in the fields, we tell her not to-"

Prince Nagaraj snapped, "I don't want to hear another to thing from you!"

Mei Fen paled.

Ye Xian had never heard anyone talk to Mei Fen that way. All her life, Mei Fen had seemed powerful, invincible even, but now Ye Xian just saw an aging woman simpering and abasing herself to a stranger for even a hope of true power or wealth.

"They did that to me," Ye Xian spoke up. Her voice shook slightly, but she stood firm. "They've been mistreating me for years."

"Quiet, you," Mei Fen warned, but her eyes flittered nervously to Prince Nagaraj. "She's always telling tales. I think it's because her mother died when she was young - they say motherless children will say or do anything for attention, to make up for the lack of affection. Pay her no mind."

"Lack of affection? You're her stepmother, you should have been giving her that." Prince Nagaraj glared at Mei Fen, who further blanched when she realized the prince had taken Ye Xian's side.

Jun Li realized it too. "My mother was cruel to Ye Xian, but I wasn't! I never touched her!"

Mei Fen made a choking sound, stung by the fact that the daughter she doted on her had betrayed her.

"You let it happened!" Ye Xian snapped, "You took advantage of me and left me to suffer. You felt nothing when she killed my friend, Jin; I doubt you even remember him."

"The fish?" Mei Fen gasped incredulously, "You're still angry about the damn fish?"

"He was my only friend, the solace I had in this miserable house." Ye Xian cried. Her arms trembled and her face had turned an unflattering cherry red. "You killed him because he made me happy, and you couldn't stand that."

Mei Fen shook her head and turned to Prince Nagaraj, hoping she could say something, anything, that would appease him. "Your highness, I'm sorry you had to see all of this. Perhaps-"

Prince Nagaraj interrupted her coldly, "You've wasted enough of my time. I will resume my quest to find the own of the show, beginning with your stepdaughter." As he turned to Ye Xian, his face and voice softened, "If she will allow me."

Ye Xian smiled, slowly, as if she had forgotten how to, and nodded. One of the prince's servants help her into a chair, which felt odd but nice, and Ye Xian held out her foot. Prince Nagaraj knelt before her, smiling as they silently shared amusement over the fact that they already knew the outcome. The gold and glass slipper fit Ye Xian's foot's perfectly. Even so, it send a thrill up her leg and spine when the cool metal touched her sole and tears began welling in her eyes.

As she wiped them away, she whispered, "I'm sorry, I just... It doesn't feel real."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Nagaraj told her.


	16. Heir to the Throne

The search party combed the forest for any sign of the young queen, but after a week, nothing had been found. The knights heard a rumor that a young girl had been attacked by a werewolf the same day Queen Rose Red had gone missing, but later when they learned that the girl was just the granddaughter of a local peasant, they decided not to investigate further. Dowager Queen Regina did not fit the image of a worried, grieving mother; rather, she seemed more contemplative than anything else. No tears fell from her eyes; no curses to servants who returned empty-handed left her lifts; no prayers for Rose Red's safe return were whispered. Only seven days passed for Queen Regina ordered her men to end the search and continue the move, even though the herald begged her to find a sorcerer who could use magic to find Queen Rose Red. She sent a knight in the opposite direction, but otherwise she behaved as though Rose Red had never even been there.

"What right does she have to command us?" some of the servants wondered to each other - never in Queen Regina's hearing. "She's the king's widow and the queen's mother, but she herself is not royalty."

The royal party reached the Summer Palace two weeks behind schedule and missing their most important person. Aristocrats and courtiers who had arrived beforehand badgered Regina for news of their little ruler, but she claimed to be too distraught over her daughter's disappearance to answer them. The mystery of what had happened to Rose Red permeated through the palace, and eventually the surrounding towns and villages. Men knelt before Regina promising to return with her daughter, and she humored them.

There was the matter of the royal succession. King Leopold had no other child, therefore by right the throne ought to go his cousin, Edward the Duke of Prusemond, but no concrete evidence of Rose Red's death had been found. Duke Edward left his castle in Prusemond for the royal Summer Palace regardless, ostensibly to comfort a childless mother. The warmth Regina greeted him with was just as genuine as his word of sympathy. For the next 7 days, Regina and Edward danced around each other like 2 vipers waiting for strike each other, until, one night during dinner, a servant entered the dining room to announce the arrival of the knight Regina had sent away.

Behind that knight stood a young man, who looked be just on the cusp of manhood. They both bowed to Regina and Edward, and the young man introduced himself as Alexander. He had long, strong-looking limbs, skin browned by the sun, and a wide-eyed, earnest look, with long brown hair that partially fell over his eyes and curled at his broad shoulder. His clothes were clean saves for some dust from the road, but plain and patched. Regina gasped when she saw him, her eyes sweeping over him to study every detail.

After an awkward moment, she spoke, "I never thought I'd get the chance to meet you. I just wish it were under better circumstances."

Edward raised an eyebrow, "How do you know of him?"

"He is the late king's illegitimate son." Regina avoided locking eyes with anyone in the room, instead focusing on twiddling with her rings. "He was conceived shortly before Leopold and I got married. When Leopold finally told me about his child, we decided it was best to leave him alone with his mother and her husband, so he wouldn't get face the pressure of being royal."

Alexander froze. Clearly, this was the first time he had ever heard anything of this. "The old king was my blood father?"

"So he wouldn't get between your children and the throne," Edward accused, ignoring Alexander's question.

Regina's lips twitched into an strange, shaking smile. "That's not really a concern now, is it? My husband and daughters are gone, but the realm needs a ruler."

"You cannot mean for _this_... uneducated young man to take the throne," Edward gestured to Alexander, who remained still as a winter pond. Everyone could clearly sense his nervousness and uncertainty.

"He is the king's son." The words slithered out of Regina's mouth like a prisoner clawing his way out of jail. "My daughters were first in the line of succession, but he is of royal blood and comes right after them. He is our new king."

The boy, Alexander, widened his eyes. "There must be some mistake. I'm not fit to be king!"

"That much we can agree on," Edward remarked haughtily.

Regina ignored Edward and took Alexander's hands in her own, "You won't have to do it alone. You'll have me to guide you, as I guided you younger sister, Rose Red."

"And look what happened to her..." Edward muttered.

"The law is the law," Regina told Edward sternly, as she approached with eyes bright with warming. "We obey it whether we like or not, because that's the only way to keep order in the kingdom."

Edward could not argue with that, but he wouldn't soon forgive Regina for snatching the throne right from under him.

In the weeks and months that passed, Regina announced to the kingdom that her daughter Rose Red had been killed by a werewolf and the late king's illegitimate son would take his place on the throne. Alexander was the fourth monarch in less than a decade. After Leopold's death, Snow White was briefly crowned queen before evidence came to light that might have had a hand in her father's death. But before a trial could be held, she fled the palace in the night with her mother's soldiers hot on her heels. With Snow White stripped of her titles, Rose Red became queen, but now like her father she had passed away.

The subjects of the kingdom, noble and peasant alike, grew wary of the throne. This string of tragedies was unlike anything in living memory and people became wonder if it was a sign of worse to come. In the taverns and docks and brothels of the kingdom, people whispered to each other that the fault lay with Queen Regina; that Misthaven had not seen such troubling events before she arrived. One princess murdering her father for the throne? Another allegedly torn apart by a werewolf, though no body had been recovered? A long-lost prince appearing from thin air? Others responded that Queen Regina had done a remarkable job of holding the kingdom through all the hardships facing her family and praised her for accepting her husband's son as the heir, almost as if he were her own son.

Queen Regina spent hours teaching King Alexander the ways of royal court, though he never appeared comfortable with the role. She hired tutors in various subjects, as his education had been limited to the daily chores of a family and a little bit of skill in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Those who had been at court long enough to remember watching the princesses grow up noted that Regina took a great deal more time guiding and spending time with her husband's son than with her own daughters. She laughed with him more, spoke more softly to him, and defended him from those who questioned his ability to lead.

If anyone found the queen's behavior odd, they did not say so in her hearing.

* * *

Ashley went into labor 4 days after Gold dropped the custody case. Her water broke while she was on her lunch break and the entire diner froze as Ruby rushed her to the car and drove her to the hospital. Within hours, the entire town got knew that the latest addition to the small, tight-knit community was about to make their debut. While Ashley endured contractions, Ruby stayed by her side, occasionally holding her hand, or stroking her hair, or whispering words of encouragement.

Two hours after they arrived in the hospital, Dr. West arrived in the room, her greying red hair pulled back in a hasty ponytails. "Sorry for being tardy," she laughed. "It was my day off. I rushed over as soon as I heard the good news."

Ashley smiled though the pain as another contraction hit her.

"Right," Dr. West put on a more serious demeanor. "Let's make sure everything's going as planned."

For the next few hours, Ashley endured the pain while Ruby, Dr. West, and the nurses kept a close eye on her. When Granny comes by after closing the diner, Ruby took the opportunity to eat something knowing Ashley wasn't alone.

When Ashley was 9 centimeters dilated, Emma poked her head in the door, followed by Mary. "Hey Ash. You doing all right?"

Exhausted, in pain, and covered in sweat, Ashley joked, "I've been better." She held out an arm, inviting Emma to come hug her.

For Emma, it felt almost surreal to included in a moment like this. As far as family moments went, she only had a few half-remembered birthday parties to her name. Still, she went over and wrapped an arm around Ashley's shoulders, her cheek pressed close against Ashley's.

"This kid is so lucky to have you," Emma whispered.

Ashley replied, "And I'm lucky to have you."

"Don't give me all the credit," Emma chuckled. "Teddy's the one who talked to Mr. Gold."

"Teddy? He helped me keep my baby?"

Emma nodded.

"But, he didn't mention anything about that," Ashley frowned.

Mary tilted her head, "Well, you know Teddy. He keeps to himself and doesn't like the attention."

"He should be here!" Ashley cried.

Dr. West said, "There are already a few too many people here."

"We can leave," Granny offered. "Ashley's right, he should be here."

* * *

James first suggested that they cut her hair and use it as a rope, but Zela explained the spell Gothel had put on her; her hair had become like another organ, and cutting it caused her pain. To prove it, she let him cut a lock, letting out a sharp cry when he did. James dropped the remaining strands when they began to bleed, shivering at the notion of bleeding hair.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you," he told her. "but this doesn't make any sense. Your hair can hold my entire weight, but can't be cut without harming you?"

"Gothel is a power witch. I don't know why, but she did something to change me."

As the realization of their situation began to creep onto James, his breathing hastened and his eyes moved from corner to corner.

"I should apologize to you," Zela replied mournfully. "I should have I could never escape, and now you're trapped with me."

"No, there's always a change to escape," James insisted. "My father taught me that."

Zela watched as Prince James futilely searched for a way out of the tower. In her moment of foolish hope, she'd underestimated the strength of Gothel's enchantments and now this brave boy was trapped along with her.

The thought struck her and Zela whispered in a panicked tone, "What do you think Gothel will go if she finds you here? You have to hide!"

James looked at her solemnly, "I'll have to face her eventually, so why not now?"

"She'll kill you!" Zela warned.

"She hasn't killed _you,_ " James countered.

"Because she has some reason for keeping me in here, but doesn't have one to spare your life."

James looked at thoughtfully, "How did you end up trapped here to begin with? Did Gothel kidnapped you?"

"No..." Zela swallowed hard, and hesitantly explained. "I sought her out for a favor - but I had no idea she would do this to me!"

"What kind of favor?" James pressed, "Do you think your request have offended her somehow?"

"You think I haven't considered that! Why do you even need to know?" Zela snapped.

James replied, "Don't get angry at me when I'm just trying to help."

Zela pouted, but apologized. "It's difficult to talk about."

James looked at her, but didn't asked her elaborate although it was clear he wanted to.

She sighed deeply, "My brother died." Her voice came out high and thin. "He save me from drowning, but drowned himself. It was all my fault; my parents warned not to go into the water, and my foolishness cost them their only son. He was the crown prince of our king and now I'm the heir to throne, but I'm completed unsuited to rule anything. I ruin everything I touch. I've even ruined your life and I hardly know you."

"You have my condolences for the loss of your brother," James told her gently. "I can't imagine what it must be like to lose a sibling. But doubt you ruin _everything_ you touch."

Zela sniffled, "Look where you are."

"I came up here by my own choice, to help someone who needed me, and that's exactly what I plan to do," James smiled at her.

Zela smiled, until she noticed a shadow behind him. A scream ripped through her throat, and James spun on his heel, his sword drawn. Before he step forward the face Gothel, the witch held out her hand and summoned a blast of wind to knock him to the ground.

She held him down with bright, white chains of magic and learned over him. A thin, raspy voice poured out from under her black hood, "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

Once she realized that Gothel didn't see as a threat, Zela dove for James' sword and put it right to Gothel's neck. The heavy, jeweled pummel felt bulky and awkward in her hands, since she had trained to use rapiers and not long-swords, but she figured she wouldn't need extensive training in long-swords to put an end to Gothel from this position. Still, she wanted answers for what Gothel had done to her and perhaps she might even show the witch some mercy.

"I'm going to be asking the questions, thank you," Zela growled. "You owe me a lot of explanations. First off, you did you trap me here?"

"Trapped?" Gothel snared. "I did you a service. You could have lived out your days in peace and luxury, with all your needs taken care of. You wanted for nothing in here, did you?"

"I didn't ask for that!" Zela snapped. "You kept me apart from my family; you took away my freedom. Why?"

"I needed a human host." Gothel explained. She scoffed at the horrified looks of James and Zela's faces. "A little bit of your life-force to keep my ring healthy, and I compensated you for it well enough, _didn't I_?"

"Your ring?" Zela glanced at Gothel's hands, but she wore no rings on her pale, slender fingers.

James caught Gothel's meaning before Zela did. "A faerie ring," he realized, his voice hardly louder than a whisper and shaking slightly. "You're not a witch, you're of the fair folk."

His words hit Zela like the load of a trebuchet, and she felt her resolve crumbling like castle walls. The sword shook in her hand, and she wasn't sure if she should keep it in place or fall to her knees begging for Gothel's forgiveness.

"Careful with that." Gothel hissed, trying to inch her neck away from the sword.

In her panic, Zela had forgotten that the fair folk were wear to iron and that she still held the upper hand. At least for now. She schooled her features into an assured, dignified look, and adjusted her voice to match. "I will not kill you, so long as you swear to let us leave this tower and return to our kingdoms unharmed."

Gothel glared at her; Zela stared into the faerie's ageless eyes, which seemed to turn black, and tried to fight against a terrified, sinking feeling in her stomach.

"You have my word." Gothel spat.

A door which had not previously existed opened for them as Gothel released her hold of James. Zela lowered the sword from Gothel's neck and helped James to his feet, while the faerie materialized into a puff of purple-grey smoke. Only now did Zela noticed that her heart had been beating rapidly and had began returning to its normal pace, but James took no time to try to process what just happened. Instead he grabbed her hand and rushed her out of the tower.

"We need to report what just happened to my father and to your parents," James told her as they made their way down the dark, narrow spiral staircase, framed by cold, brick walls. "The fair folk have clever and devastating ways of getting revenge, and I doubt Mother Gothel will be very forgiving."

The young prince and princess pushed open a heavy iron gate. Beyond, the wide stretch of sunlit grass appeared before them, a landscape dotted with trees under high, soft clouds. Zela blinked away tears as the sense of freedom seemed to grow on her skin and skin into her flesh. She could go home.

Could she? After what she had put her parents through?

Prince James silently took her hand and gave her an understanding look.

She could try.

* * *

Emma stood outside the hospital watching as the first snowfall of the year coated the parking lot in white flakes. She squinted down Main Street, waiting for the sight of Teddy Mishra's truck sputtering into the hospital parking lot. As the streetlamps flickered on and bathed her in an obnoxious orange glow, Emma got her wish. Or rather, Ashley's wish. Killian shot her a smile from the passenger's seat as Teddy went to park and Emma couldn't help but feel a slight fluttering in her stomach.

Both men greeted her. "You didn't have to wait out here for us," Teddy apologized for her having to stand outside in the snow.

"I wanted to make sure you didn't get lost; hospitals can be pretty confusing." Emma shrugged. That was only half the truth. Being around a woman giving birth had begun wearing down on her as she thought her son, and so she welcomed the excuse to leave Ashley's room, despite feeling guilty for those feelings.

She led them into Ashley's room in the maternity ward and to their surprise, Julie was approaching the door from another corridor. She frozen when she saw them. Emma gave her a withering look.

"She's still my sister," Julie said, knowing exactly what Emma was thinking.

"Could have fooled me," Emma replied coldly.

Teddy and Killian stood behind her on either side, looking almost like bodyguards, but Julie squared her shoulders, refusing to be intimidated, "What if she wants me to be there for her? Are you gonna kick me out anyway?"

Emma kept her eyes on Julie's as she opened the door, then turned to smile at Ashley. Granny and Mary had stepped on, but ever-faithful Ruby sat in a chair holding her hand while another Ashley grimaces and thrashed through another contraction.

"Hey, guess who just got off work?" Emma's harsh demeanor melted into sweetness for her young, laboring friend. She opened the door wider for Teddy and Killian to come in.

Ashley smiled. Her long, ink black hair lay damp against her skin and pillow and her pale skin shone under the florescent lights with sweat. "Thanks for coming."

"Thanks for waiting for us," Teddy replied with a goofy grin.

Killian clapped him on the shoulder, "I don't think she had much choice in that, mate."

Everyone laughed, even Dr. West, as Ashley clasped Teddy's hand with her free one. The laughter subsided when the door creaked open and Julie entered the room with a nervous smile. Before anyone could question why she had come, Julie said in a rush, "I'm so sorry. I know I should have stood up for you sooner, but I was afraid of her too. I know that's not an excuse but I can't go on knowing you hate me and think I hate you, before I don't. I just want us to be sisters again and I want to be good aunt to your baby. Could you ever forgive me?"

Julie took a deep breath after she finished her hurried speech, looking small and sacred and prepared to get yelled and thrown from the room.

Ashley looked at Julie for several moments, while everyone else held their breaths. Breathing heavily, Ashley nodded and said, "I forgive you."

* * *

Ye Xian silently slipped into the bedroom where her husband and wife were still fast asleep; Red sprawled on one end of the bed and Nagaraj curled up on the other, leaving an empty space for her in the middle. She gazed at her lovers as she rested her hand against her abdominal, unable to wait to tell them that the three of them would soon be parents.

* * *

The next morning, with Ruby and Teddy by her side, Ashley gave birth to a beautiful baby girl - Ella Bao.


	17. Getting Colder

"Papa, Max and Ben won't let me play with them!"

Prince Charming lifted her eyes from the ambassador's letter as his son's voice echoed from behind the oak doors. Anticipating what was to come, he got up from his desk and opened the door. Tommy stood on the other side with his arms folded in front of him and small tears on his eyelashes. His shirt, stained with grass and mud, hung crookedly from his narrow shoulders. He opened his mouth to continue his complaint, but a loud, harsh sneeze came out instead.

"Where are Max and Ben right now?" Charming asked as he took a handkerchief from his vest pocket and wiped his son's nose.

"In - the - west - garden," Tommy answered in between sneezes.

His eyes were puffy and rimmed with red. Charming gently touched his son's cheek. Even with years of experience with crying children, he still felt sore at thought of his kids crying, especially because of each other. Charming decided that some time away from his work would do him some good, so he took his son's hand and walked with him to the garden. As Tommy had said, Max and Ben were running through the rose bushes to a game of their own invention.

"Boys," Charming called to his two other children, placing his hands on his hips. Max and Ben run to their father when they heard his voice, then frowned when they saw that Tommy was with him.

"Did you tell Tommy he couldn't play with you?" Charming asked, adopting the more stern voice he used when disciplining the boys.

Ben let out an exaggerated sigh, "He said he didn't want to play with us!"

"That's right, he did." Max agreed.

"No I - didn't!" Tommy remarked. "Papa - he's - lying!"

Charming looked intently at Ben and Max, and when they began to squirm under her scrutiny, he felt certain they were lying.

"How many times do I have to tell you, you're brothers and you should stick together," Charming told his two sons. "Ben, Max, please stop being leaving your brother out of your games."

"Yes papa," they chorused without no small measure of annoyance.

"Boys..."

Max threw his hands up, "We will - promise!" To prove their point, Max and Ben each took one of Tommy's hands.

Charming couldn't help but smile and gave all three of them kisses on the forehead. Satisfied with the results, Charming began walked back to the castle when he heard footsteps and rustling coming from behind them. "Someone there?" he asked.

Whoever was in the bushes stopped, then began running in the opposite direction.

"Stay here!" Charming commanded his sons before he went off in search of the trespasser.

If the rumors about the Evil Queen's return were true, Charming didn't want to put his family at risk. Nagaraj told him he was being paranoid, but Snow shared his concerns. Eventually he got close enough to notice that his target was a woman with long, red hair wearing a long, dark green cloak. Otherwise, he couldn't make out any features.

When they reached the edge of the garden, on the border of the forest surrounding the castle, Charming began to catch up with the strange woman. He reaches out and caught the edge of her cloak, but it slipped through his fingers a moment later. The woman crossed the invisible line where the palace's magic protective barrier ended and, before Charming's eyes, she vanished in a swirl of purple-black smoke.

A sorceress.

Charming felt his guts melt into water.

No, there was no one someone could have sneaked into the palace with all the guards and warlocks on duty. Had someone betrayed them?

He shook off his disorientation and thought back his sons. He had to get back to them and make sure there were okay. He found them right where he had left them, wide-eyed and surprised. Only now, Red had arrived and she stood by the boys, holding Ben's hand, with a concerned look on her face.

"What happened?" she asked when she saw the perturbed expression on his face.

* * *

Snow sat at her throne staring into the faces of her warlocks.

Four of them; 3 women and 1 man. One barely as old as Snow herself, another old enough to be her grandmother. A rainbow of features; pale white skin and skin like rain-heavy soil, blue and grey and brown eyes, tall and short and slender and fat. They wore black robes outlined in white and red. All of them bore the mark of the royal family on the backs of their hands: two identical swans flying on either side of a castle.

One of them had let a stranger slip into her home and she couldn't be sure they hadn't betrayed her.

The most senior of the royal warlocks, Frau Holle, stood a pace ahead of the others and went over the castle's security protocol as she had since she worked for Snow's father, King Leopold. Snow respected Frau Holle and has trusted her since she was a little girl, but someone with unknown intentions had come within feet of her husband and children, and she wanted answers.

"I know all this," Snow interrupted, "Do you have idea who it could have been?"

Frau Holle gasped shortly, unaccustomed to being spoken to so bluntly. She regained her composure and told her queen, "Your Grace, I've concluded that the person responsible came from the Land of Oz based on the magical energy she left behind."

"Anything more specific?" Snow pressed.

"No, your Grace," Frau Holle answered. "But fortunately, not many people in Oz are gifted with magic, which narrows the list of suspects considerably."

"How much so? What are our chances of finding this person?"

"Their most sorcerer in the Great Wizard of Oz, but it's said he never leaves his castle," Frau Holle explained. "Behind him are the Four Cardinal Witches, who rule the four corners of Oz. Common sorcerers are typically not well-education in the art of magic, as the Cardinal Witches guard their secrets closely, sharing their knowledge only with their chosen successors."

Snow leaned back in her throne, formulating a proper response to the intrusion of her kingdom. Something didn't add up.

"Why would a witch as powerful as you just described be snooping around like common spy?" Snow wondered.

"I can't say," Frau Holle admitted.

Snow nodded. She hadn't completely ruled out the possibility that one of her warlocks had secretly turned against her, but something told her Frau Holle was telling the truth. She needed more time decide what to do, so she dismissed her warlocks and retired to her chambers.

* * *

"Fancy a drink?"

Emma looked up to see Killian Jones holding two glasses of beer, one of which he held out to her. She lifted her jacket to reveal the deputy badge at her hip and said, "Sorry, I'm on duty."

"Unfortunate," Killian smiled back. "Mind if I sit?"

Emma scooted over on the bench so he could join her.

They faced the center of the town square where a small group of teenagers performed a play about the town's founding. Since they were both fairly new to Storybrooke, neither of them were familiar with Miner's Day, but they found the town's traditions charming and the residents' enthusiasm contagious.

Strings of lights formed a wide tent over the square, flickering on as the sun fell. Winter descended on Storybrooke in full force; trees stood stark and bare; a deep, persistent chill forced everyone into heavy coats and scarves; and a layer of ice and snow covered everything in sight. Despite the uncomfortable conditions, the entire town had come out to celebrate. Nuns from the Our Lady of the Snows convent wove through the crowd like bees through a garden trying to get people to buy their homemade candles. Ashley, Teddy and Ruby sat on a bench across the square, giggling while August Booth knelt in front of Ella's stroller and blew bubbles for her.

Emma spotted Henry sitting by his mother on a small platform with Mr. Gold, Mother Superior, and members of the town council. The tension between the adults quietly threatened to spill over at any moment. Poor Henry. The kid sit slumped with a scowl, occasionally casting longing glances at her, Mary, David, or his friends. She hadn't seen him much since Mr. Gold agreed to quit Regina's custody case and whenever she did, he was firmly under Regina's steely gaze.

Speak of the devil; Regina looked from the actors to Emma, her dark eyes piecing with hatred.

"Where did you say you from again?" Emma asked Killian, hoping he would distract her.

Killian raised an eyebrow, "I didn't. Where are _you_ from?"

"Hey, I asked first," Emma gently punched his shoulder.

"Okay, fair enough," Killian chuckled. "I'm from New York. And you?"

"That's kind of difficult to answer," Emma replied. She noticed that Killian had a look of understanding. "I was adopted, then un-adopted, then bounced around in foster care for a while. I've never really had a home."

"Well, it's never too late to get one." Killian nodded toward the center of the square, where the young actors had finished their play and the crowd broke out in cheers.

Emma felt warm, though a light snowfall began to descend. She watches as snowflakes settled in Killian's long, dark hair. Then she realized that she hadn't answered him yet. "I guess that's true for some people."

She began to feel uncomfortable, so she looked away and noticed Ashley and Ruby getting up to leave; Teddy bid them goodbye and went to sit next to his mom and aunt.

Graham, who had been standing by the podium, walked to where Emma and Killian. His eyes narrowed when he noticed how close they were.

"Hey, Graham, what's up?" Emma greeted, her voice flat. Just as she started getting comfortable around Graham, she found out he was sleeping with Regina and their relationship nose-dived into perpetual awkwardness.

Killian said hello too, but Graham barely acknowledged him. He told Emma, "Some people headed to Haven Pond for ice-skating. I need you to keep an eye on things."

"Got it," she nodded. Graham took another moment to look between her and Killian and she stiffened wondering what he thought of them. 'Why did she care what he thought of them?' Emma wondered to herself.

Killian playfully patted her on the back, "Duty calls, Deputy."

"I'll see you around Jones," Emma smiled at him.

She nodded at Graham, before she went off and squeezed her way through the crowd to reach her squad car. The falling snow made her more cautious than normal, but at least the roads hadn't frozen over yet. The drive home might be a pain though, she figured.

Haven Pond lay half a mile west of the town in the middle of the forest and the residents mostly ignored it during warmer months. Now that the weather had taken a turn southward, Haven Pond began attracting visitors. She found a small group of people, most of them teenagers, gliding around the frozen water. The gentle lull of their conversation filled the otherwise silent forest. They paused when they saw her, so Emma had to assure them that no one was in trouble, she was just there to keep an eye on things.

The rest of the afternoon passed by peacefully.

"Help! Help!" A young girl of about ten came running down a nearby hill. As the screaming child grew closer, Emma recognized her as Henry's classmate Paige. Tears streaked down her reddened eyes, her mouth twisted in a horrified grimace.

Emma ran over to Paige and caught her just as she tripped and almost fell into the snow. The crowd silenced, Paige's sobs and labored breathing echoed into the cold air, as Emma looked into her face.

"Hey, kid," Emma whispered, "Are you okay? You're safe now, okay?"

Paige nodded shakily. After taking a moment to calm herself, Paige at last explained herself. "I found...I found a heart in the woods."

Emma narrowed in her eyes, "What do you mean?"

"A heart. Someone's heart, lying in the snow, surrounded by blood."

All the blood drained from Emma's face. "Oh god."

Emma commandeered one of the adults to keep an eye on Paige while she went into the woods to check on the heart. Behind the line of trees, not 50 years from the pond, a trickle of blood crept down to Emma's feet. Horrified, she followed the trail to a red-blood fleshy lump lying frozen in the snow.

"Fuck."

* * *

The Priscilla Jefferson Case just got more interesting and dire for the residents of Storybrooke, but Rumpelstiltskin took the news with mild annoyance. He wanted to return to the hospital to visit Belle, though Dr. West assured him that her condition had improved since she was admitted. He wanted Belle back in her room, safe from prying eyes and gossip-mongers. And from Regina.

That evening, after Priscilla's little girl found her heart in the forest, Rumpelstiltskin returned to the hospital. The artificially-warmed air hit him in the face like a slap after hours standing in the icy wind. The staff and patients had grown accustomed to his presence since Belle's admittance and no longer stared or whispered or flinched when he walked past them. His feet brought him Belle's room while his mind was otherwise occupied with curses and schemes and fears and regrets. When he opened the door, the sight inside made him pause. At first, he thought he was hallucinating.

The Thorne family stood in the tiny room, apart from the daughter, Dawn, who sat with her baby in the flimsy white plastic chair Rumpelstiltskin typically occupied. Their heads turned slowly turned like the hinges of old oak doors so they could all glare at him. Rumpelstiltskin's hands began to sweat. The Thornes didn't know Belle in this world, did they? He couldn't remember them ever mentioning another daughter, or a sister, in all their years in this realm.

"Good evening," he said evenly.

Moe Thorne, the former King Stephan, exhaled deeply and crossed his arms. "Mr. Gold, we're glad you're here," he said in a tone that promised something Rumpelstiltskin knew he wouldn't like.

"You're compassion in this trying time is much appreciated," Rumpelstiltskin nodded.

Dawn Thorne scoffed harshly, "You must a real narcissist if you think we're here to comfort _you_. Don't forget, before she was your wife, she was my sister."

Damn Regina. He was going to kill her as soon as the curse broke.

Rumpelstiltskin mentally found his balance and forced himself to look penitent to his apparent in-laws. "Forgive me, I wasn't thinking straight. It's been a long day."

"Yes," Rachel, Stephan's queen Leah, agreed, "That news about the little girl in the woods was shocking for us too. Poor thing, having to see something like that."

"Absolutely terrible," Rumpelstiltskin replied.

The Thornes remained ill at ease. After a few more tense moments passed, Moe asked, "I think we're overdo for a talk about what's best for Belle."

Rachel interrupted, "Not today, honey. I think Gold intended to spend a moment alone with her, right?"

Rumpelstiltskin nodded, "I would great appreciate that."

"I don't thin-" Whatever Dawn planned to say was lost the sudden cries of her baby. She groaned.

Her mother laid both hands on Dawn's shoulders and said, "Let's step out for a moment. I'm sure Pippa is sick of being stuck in this cramped hospital room."

Dawn and Moe continued giving him unhappy looks as they all politely said goodbye and walked out.

Rumpelstiltskin wasn't naive enough to think he wouldn't come into conflict with Belle's new family again, but right now he just wanted to be with his wife.

* * *

"I wish I could talk to you face to face," Belle said aloud in the empty parlor, hoping the Beast heard her.

The Beast answered, as always, as an invisible voice looming in some undefined space above her, "I hope you're content wishing, dearie."

She smiled at the nickname. Since arriving in the castle, she slowly chipped away at the Beast's aloofness like a miner patiently swinging his ax in a dark mine. She asked him about books, about his life, about the castle, and what other subject fluttered into her mind. Sometimes he even gave her a straight answer. Familiarity lessened her fear of the Beast and his castle, though it did little to alleviate her boredom or homesickness.

"Do you like me?" Belle wondered.

"Why would I like you?" the Beast scoffed.

Belle shrugged, "Aren't we friends? If for no other reason than because we have no one else to keep us company?"

"The fact that we're trapped in this godforsaken castle together doesn't make us friends," the Breast growled in his inhumane voice.

If he was trying to scare her, it wasn't working. His presence had become as mundane and ordinary to her as the wallpaper in her bedchamber or the wildflowers she picked on her daily walks. Comfortable. Like she'd always known him.

Curled up with a blanket while watching the fireplace, Belle desperately wished she had a new book to read, since she had finished the ones she brought from home several times already. She said as much to the Beast. He didn't respond and she didn't know if he heard her. Oddly, she didn't feel embarrassed this time; speaking aloud with no certainty anyone was listenig had become part of her new life.

The next morning after Belle ate breakfast, her ball of light led her to a large wing on the first floor of the castle. She pushed over the heavy, painted oak doors and nearly collapsed at the sight.

A grand, magnificent library; more rows of books that she could count, all stacked up nearly to the roof, multiple stories above. Belle had to stop herself from running around, and forced herself to explore at a steady, reasonable pace. A large desk was nestled in one corner of the room; a collection of couches and ottomans in another. The tall, wide windows flooded the room with light and provided a breathtaking view of the castle grounds - she could even see the greenhouse from a reading nook on the west wall.

"Oh, so you _do_ like me!" Belle laughed as she began her search for a book in earnest.

The Beast didn't answer, but Belle didn't think he would.

* * *

The DNA results came back a little more than 2 weeks later. The heart belonged to a human woman, presumably in her late 20's or early 30's.

In the meantime, Graham and Emma combed through the woods and the abandoned mansions over and over again for anything they might have missed. The crime scene baffled them; a human heart lying in the snow, but no blood trail or other remains in the area. Maybe it had been planted.

Emma felt sick that they hadn't taken Priscilla's disappearance seriously as they should have, especially when she remembered how Priscilla had spent an entire night in the hospital just so a stranger wouldn't have to wake up alone. And Emma had repaid that kindness with... nothing. What had she ever done for Priscilla Jefferson, the woman who seemed odd but had never done anything wrong to anyone?

The Miner's Day celebrations came to an abrupt halt after a bystander sent by Emma ran into the town square with the news. Parents kept their children at home more and the children didn't complain much. Mayor Mills declared that the culprit would be caught soon and life in Storybrooke would return to normal before long. The city counsel issued a temporary ten o'clock curfew, with some grumbling from the Rabbit Hole's regular late-night patrons.

Conner Xue, overcome with worry for his homeless friends, walked to the police station 3 days after the heart had been found and let the Zimmer twins' situation spill from his lips like a river over-spilling its banks after a heavy rainfall. He began crying by the end and hated himself for getting emotional. Emma told him it was perfectly alright to cry and that he had nothing to be embarrassed about. Graham made a call to the Maine Department of Human Services, but they didn't answer.

"Live here? We were just exploring," Ava lied when Emma came to pick them up.

Emma frowned, "That's not going to work this time, sweetie. Conner told us everything."

"Are... are you gonna split us up now?" Nichloas asked, his lower lip trembling slightly.

Emma placed a comforting hand in his hair. "I will do everything possible to make sure that doesn't happen," she vowed. "I've seen enough siblings get torn apart in the system to last me a lifetime. I'll foster you myself before I let you and sister lose each other."

As it turned out, that's exactly what she ended up doing.

* * *

AN: I'm back in school and won't be able to write as often, so I'm reducing my scheduled updates from twice a month to once a month. If I have time, I might post addition chapters, but don't count on it. Thank you to everyone who commented, favorited, or followed. I'm sorry for the change, but I hope you'll be patient with me.


	18. Fostering

A decade since she last seriously entertained the notion of being a mother, Emma found herself thrust into the role of foster mom for a pair of twins. While Emma brought the Zimmer twins to the police station, Graham dug up their birth certificates and their mother's death certificate. It all checked out the way Conner had told them. When Emma formally interviewed the twins, they confirmed Conner's story, including the part about Henry being involved.

Emma could already sense conflict with Regina when she got the news.

Storybrooke was too small to have its own DHS office, so those duties fell to the sheriff. But Graham had a homicide investigation on his hands, so he delegated the task to Emma. That first night, she brought the kids back home with her and gave them her bed while she slept on the couch. When she was a kid, if her social worker couldn't find a placement for her she'd end up sleeping in their office or in the break-room. Ava and Nicholas needed a real bed. The next morning, she woke up early to get them ready for school.

Mary outdid herself making a huge breakfast for their guests; tall stacks of pancakes with their choice of maple syrup or chocolate syrup; scrambled eggs and sausage and French toast; and a bowl of diced fresh fruit.

"Wow, I don't remember you doing all this for me when I first showed up," Emma joked.

Mary playfully rolled her eyes as she sat the twins down at the counter. They looked apprehensive at first, likely they thought the food was poisoned or something, but they did fill their plates and start eating.

"So, how long will you be staying with us?"

Nicholas shrugged, and Ava looked to Emma, "I guess that's up to her."

"I'm going to look for your biological father and hopefully he'll be cooperative. If not, you'll be fostered with someone. Maybe with me."

"Hmm," Mary squeaked.

Emma grimaced, "Mary, I-"

"Kids, keep eating," Mary interrupted. "I need to talk to Emma in private."

Emma followed Mary outside to the building corridor. "I know, I should have talked to you first before promising something like that, since this is technically your apartment. But they're so scared for being separated from each in foster case, I had to say something to calm them down."

"You're right, you should have talked to me first," Mary scolded. Her tone softened, "But that's not the main reason I'm worried. Do you think you can handle raising 10 year twins if it came to that?"

"I don't know," Emma admitted.

Mary gestured, "That's exactly the problem! You shouldn't have given them false hope."

Emma closed her eyes as the enormity of her mistake washed over her. "I'm gonna screw them up, aren't I?" she muttered, more to herself than to Mary.

"I get that you want to do the right thing, but you weren't thinking straight. Which is understandable, given your experiences, but still."

Emma opened her eyes, her face gone from contrition from hurt, "What do you mean, 'given my experiences'?"

"Well, you grew up in foster care, and that obviously had a negatively impact on you. So your first instinct was to try to keep the twins out of it by any means."

"Obviously," Emma repeated coolly.

"What?" Mary was confused by Emma's reaction.

Emma let out a short, bitter laugh, "You are the last person I expected to hear this from."

"Hear what from?" Mary blinked, "All I said was the maybe your personal experiences were clouding your judgement."

Emma scoffed, "You've never been in foster care, you have no idea what's it's like. Being brought into people's home because they want a paycheck for doing the bare minimum to take care of you. If you're lucky, they might even feel sorry for you, but don't expect them actually see you as family. Because the minute something goes wrong, you get kicked out. Passed around from house to house until you age out and end up on streets."

"I...Emma..." Mary stuttered. "I didn't realize you had to deal with all that. I wasn't trying to-"

"No, you didn't, but you thought you knew how it affected me?" Emma snapped. "Poor little Emma grew up without parents, so clearly she's too damaged and emotional to be trusted with anything."

"That's not fair," Mary crossed her arms, "You know I didn't mean it like that."

"Okay, then how did you mean it?" Emma challenged.

Mary opened her mouth, then closed it when she couldn't figure out how to explain herself.

"You know, save it," Emma looked away, now embarrassed by her outburst. Mary was right about her, but she'd bite off her own tongue before she admitted it. She hoped the twins hadn't heard their fight through the door.

"I just-"

Emma walked past Mary, swung the door open, and grabbed the twins' schoolbags. "We have to go; we're late."

Nicholas complained, "But we're not done eating."

But Emma was already halfway down the corridor. " _Let's go_."

* * *

Instead of going straight home, Mary made a stop at Granny's. The warm, homey atmosphere lightened her mood, something she desperately needed since her fight with Emma that morning had been bothering her all day. Inside, a few costumers nurses milkshakes and scarfed down onions rings as the ancient jukebox let out an old jazz sold she didn't know the name off.

Ruby sat at the counter feeding Ella a bottle. She had forgone make-up and tied her hair back in a practical ponytail. She looked paler than normal and eyes were rimmed with dark circles, but she looked happy with a baby in her arms. Ella wiggled the bottle out of her mouth, squeaked in displeasure, and made an angry face. Ruby giggled.

Mary set her bag down on the counter and climbed on a stool. "Hey. How's Ella?"

Ruby rolled her eyes, "She's mad at me because I accidentally woke her from her nap."

Mary reached out and stroked Ella's cheek.

"How've you been?" Ruby asked. "You looked really down when you walked in."

"Emma and I had a disagreement this morning and I don't know what to say to her," Mary admitted.

"What did you guys fight about?"

"She wouldn't want me talking about it," Mary replied. "At least not in detail. I said something, she took it the wrong way, and now we're not talking."

"That's always the worst," Ruby shook her head sympathetically.

"Have you and Ashley fought before? How to you keep the peace between you?"

"Ashley's not my girlfriend," Ruby said too quickly.

Mary raised an eyebrow, "I didn't say she was. Though, come to think of it, you two are raising a child together..."

"She likes Teddy," Ruby shrugged miserably. "Anyway, we're talking about you and Emma. Is she _your_ girlfriend?"

"No!" Mary shuttered, strongly disgusted by the idea for reasons that weren't clear to her, "She's like, like a little sister to me. Or a daughter, even. She's...she's family. I don't want her to hate me, or think I don't care about her."

"So show her what she means to you," Ruby smiled. "Everybody has disagreements, what's important is that you're both willing to work things about between you. Someone like Emma needs to know you're not gonna bail on her the minute things get a little rough."

Mary smiled back, "Thanks Ruby. You're a little more insightful that people give you credit for."

Ella vomited up her milk all over Ruby's top.

"God, fuck!" Ruby cried in disgust.

Mary gasped, "You can't swear in front of a kid!"

"She's not gonna remember," Ruby scoffed as she went to the bathroom to clean herself.

* * *

Regina watched Henry push the last scraps of his meatloaf around on his plate. He hadn't said a word to her since she picked him up from from and in a way it made her miss the times he shouted at her. At least then he _acknowledged_ her.

"So, did anything interesting happen at school today?" Regina asked as she wiped the corner of her mouth with a silk napkin.

Henry shrugged.

"Henry," Regina lowered her pitch, "In this house we answer in complete sentences."

His flickered up to her hers and he glowered for a moment before staring at his food again.

Regina tossed her napkin onto the table, "You're gonna have to talk to me eventually."

Henry dropped his fork and stated, "I'm done." He got up from table, walked past Regina without looking at her, and left his plate in the sink before he went upstairs to his room.

Regina watch him go with a sinking feeling in her stomach. Everything she did upset him. She had tried being lenient, being strict, indulging his hobbies, setting new boundaries. She remembered the day she brought him home with perfect clarity, how it seemed like her life was finally falling into place. Now it was falling apart. And it was all Emma Swan's fault. True, Henry had been shirking away from her for a while before Miss Swan showed up, but that was just from growing pains. Miss Swan and the change she brought with her had convinced him the storybook was right; that she was nothing but a monster to be fought and slain.

She raised him for 10 years; how could that mean so little to him?

* * *

Upstairs, Henry flopped onto his bed with a frustrated groan.

When he brought Emma to Storybrooke, he thought everything would be fixed. She'd break the curse and defeat the Evil Queen and become his new mom. So far he was zero-for-three. He _knew_ she was the Savior; all the changes in town - Prince Charming waking up, Killian arriving in town, Ashley finally having her baby - pointed to Emma's presence weakening the curse. But she didn't believe in magic and things weren't changing enough.

He thought back to that morning when he saw her drop the Zimmer twins at school. Briefly, because the minute Regina noticed her in the school parking lot, she steered Henry away. Later, he found out that Emma was fostering them. He knew he should have been happy for Ava and Nicholas because they had a home now, but part of him - a large part - felt jealous. Emma chose them, not him, and he still had to go home with the Evil Queen at the end of the day. He hated the fact that he felt that way, but he couldn't help it.

If Emma did eventually break the curse and get rid of Regina, she wouldn't want him when she already had the twins. Where would that leave him?

* * *

Red walked down the thin dirt path between the shoulder high stalks of beige-gold wheat, humming to herself and spinning wool as she returned to the village. She held a large wicket basket on the crock of her elbow, full of supplies and medicine from the town 15 miles north of the village. She had left before dawn and arrived in the town at noon, so by now the sun was low in the sky. Red frowned as the sunset drew nearer; she was too far to reach home before dark, but too near to stop or turn back. She put the wool and the spindle in the basket. Red unsheathed the dagger Mayor Jackson lent her for trip and hoped she wouldn't need it.

When only a sliver of light remain in the sky and Red could see the tops of her neighbors' roofs, she heard a rustling the wheat somewhere to her left. She didn't pause to investigate; she moved faster and clutched the dagger. She remembered the wanted posters for various bandits she saw when she went into town.

Off in the distance, a distinctly animal growl echoed through the wheat. Red froze. A wild animal prowled through the wheat and it sounded close by. Perhaps if she stayed still, it wouldn't notice her; perhaps it would move on.

The rustling grow close. Another growl, louder this time.

Red run.

Instinct took over. She had to get out of there, she had to get to safely. Heavy footsteps followed after her, closer each second. Oh god, she was going to di-

The animal roared - a pained, high-pitched sound that send shivers down Red's spine - and fell to the ground with a such a great thud it almost knocked Red off her feet.

She stumbled a little, but did not stop and did not turn back. She heard nothing behind her but the whispering of wheat as she tore through it. She made it to Widow Lucas's cottage and collapsed against the door; out of breath, her legs feeling like they were on fire. She pushed her way inside and slammed it behind her, leaning against the frame as the basket slid from her arm onto the floor.

Widow Lucas jumped from her chair by the fireplace and set aside the cloth she had been knitting. "What happened?" she demanded. She held Red's face, flushed with exhaustion and wet with tears, in her hands.

"There-there was-an animal-I don't-I don't know what-" Red panted heavily between words.

"It's okay, just catch your breath. You're safe here," Widow Lucas assured her. She made Red lean against her so she could help Red into the chair she had just vacated. Then she got Red a cup of water.

After several moment passed and Red managed to calm down, she laughed bitterly, "I'm a magnet for animal attacks, aren't I?"

"You were attacked by an animal?" Widow Lucas's eyes widened in horror. "Where are you hurt?"

"It tried to attack me, but it didn't get to me. I'm alright...physically."

Widow Lucas shook her head. She forced Red to stand and inspected her for any cuts or bruises. When Widow Lucas was satisfied that Red wasn't hurt, she let her sit back down.

"First thing tomorrow morning, we need to go to Mayor Jackson and report this. We don't know if there are other dangerous animals around and the others needs to be warned."

Red nodded, "Right, of course."

Widow Lucas smoothed back Red's dark hair, which now stuck to her sweaty forehead. "You nearly gave me a heart attack. I don't know what I do if I lost you."

"You'd just go back to doing whatever you did before you found me," Red muttered.

"What?" Widow Lucas looked concerned, confused, and almost hurt. "Do you I could easily return to a life without you in it?"

Red didn't speak for minute. She thought back to the rumors of the new king, Alexander, her father's bastard son. According to gossip from traders and travelers, Queen Regina doted on him like a child with a new pet. All while thinking Rose Red had been killed by a wolf. "My mother did."

"I am not her," Widow Lucas said forcefully, "You have always been precious to me, and not just because you're a princess. I love you. Don't ever think you aren't worthy of that."

A single tear fell down Red's cheek. "I love too, Widow Lucas," she croaked.

"Enough of that. I might as well be your real grandmother. That's what you can me from now on."

Red nodded, "Okay...Granny."

* * *

Ruby flipped the sign on the front door of the diner to say "Sorry, We're Closed" and turned down the lights. She walked to the inn lobby where Ashley, despite her exhaustion, made funny face for Ella.

"Ready to call it a night?" Ruby smiled.

"More than ready," Ashley nodded as she placed Ella in Ruby's waiting arms.

Ruby cooed, "Hey sweetheart. Are you sleepy like your mommy?"

Granny came out of her office and saw the young women with the baby girl. She tilted her head fondly, "You know, part of my was afraid this would end terribly, but you two are actually really good with her."

Ruby rolled her eyes, "Thanks Granny. That's probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Well don't get used to it," Granny replied with a grin.

* * *

"Was it someone you knew?" Mayor Jackson asked as Red handed him back his dagger, after she told him what happened to her the previous evening. He stood in the entryway of his house; Red and Granny stood in front of a small crowd of villagers at his doorstep.

Red blinked, "I told you, it was a wild animal."

Mayor Jackson looked at her like he thought she was a fool, "Perhaps, or perhaps it another werewolf? One of your old associates? A jilted lover, perhaps?"

His statement set of a wave of scandalized whispering through the crowd.

"No," Red cried indignantly. "I don't know. I've never met another werewolf and I don't even know if the thing that attacked was even a wolf. I never saw it."

"Werewolves only transform under a full moon," Granny added. "It attacked her before the sun went down."

Mayor Jackson shrugged, "That is true. You didn't see anything?"

"Only wheat," Red confirmed.

"Take us to the area where this happened," Mayor Jackson instructed her. Ruby did so.

She led them down the dirt road she had used and there, crumpling a patch in the blood-stained wheat, lay the corpse of a male lion. Some archer had stuck him in the eye with an arrow that had white feathers on end of its shaft. Blood had burst from the eye socket, covering that whole side of his face and mane.

Mayor Jackson knelt and inspected the arrow. "White feathers... I've heard this was Snow White's calling card." Red did her best not to look relieved and elated, especially when Mayor Jackson turned to her. He said, "But that doesn't make sense. Why would a father-killing traitor and bandit go out of her way to save _your_ life?"

He chortled like he'd told a joke, but Red ignored him. Her sister was alive. Her sister was near.

* * *

Emma made dinner for Ava and Nicholas, helped them finish their homework, got them ready for bed, and tucked them. As she turned out the lights and descended the stairs, she felt that she should have read them a bedtime story too, but then decided that they were too old and too unfamiliar with her. It would have been awkward, she told herself. Still...

At the kitchen counter Mary nursed a mug of hot chocolate while she graded papers. When she heard Emma's footsteps, she lifted her head. "The kids are asleep?"

"Yeah, finally." Emma muttered.

They looked at each other for a moment, both unsure how to resolve their earlier conflict.

"They seem happy here; or at least, happier than they were before," Mary noted.

Emma nodded, "Right. Um, I didn't thank you earlier, for breakfast. You didn't have to do that. So, thanks."

"Don't worry about it, I wanted to," Mary said. She took this as a good sign and asked, "Do you want to talk about earlier?"

"No," Emma replied shortly. After a few seconds passed, she grimaced, "But we should."

Mary gestured to the stool beside hers. Emma sat down.

"I'm sorry for what I said," Mary began. "You trusted me not to judge you for your past, but I went and did it anyways."

Emma replied, "No, I'm sorry for getting defensive. I was scared that I was... too fucked up or something to know what was best for Ava and Nicky."

"Nicky? Look at you, you already have a nickname for him," Mary smiled.

Emma didn't smile. "Do you really think I can't do it? Raise them, if it comes to that? I never had good role models for parents, I wouldn't know what to do."

"Emma, you believed in Ashley when few people would. You should have some faith in yourself."

"Okay, but that was different."

"How?"

"Fostering an older kid isn't the same as having a baby. They had a whole other life before they met me; they don't know me as their mom. And, god forbid, if they emotional issues and need, like, therapy, I don't know if I'm equipped to help them. You were right," her voice began to break, despite her best efforts to remain calm, "I jumped into this without thinking. I'm making a horrible mistake."

"I won't go that far," Mary stopped Emma's self-pity train before it went off the rails. "Ava and Nicky shouldn't be split up. I didn't tell you this because I don't like bring it up, but I did have an older brother once. His name was Alexander. He passed away when we were teenagers and it was all my fault. I never forgave myself for what happened. And neither did our mother."

"Oh my god," Emma whispered. "Mary, I'm so sorry."

"So, you know what it's like to grow up in foster care and I know what it's like to lose a sibling," Mary stated as a few stray tears streaked down her cheek. "It's unbearable. Absolutely unbearable. Sometimes I still make two mugs for hot chocolate for the both of us, then I remember that he's not here anymore. I know you won't let the twins go through what we did, and I will do whatever it takes to help you."


	19. Reggie

Henry walked along the muddy path, shielding his eyes from the sun as he watched Regina in the yard. He smiled proudly as she and Rocinante cleared another jump, her shiny, black braid swinging in the summer wind. Regina never looked more alive than when she was atop a horse, eyes bright and cheeks flushed.

"Hi Daddy!" She waved to him when she noticed him approaching. "Did you see that?"

"Yes, you were excellent. I'm glad to see you're improving," he replied.

"Do you need something?" Regina asked as she moved Rocinante to the fence where her father stood.

Henry sighed, "Your mother wants to speak to you."

"Then she can come outside and talk to me," Regina pouted. Henry gave his young daughter a look. "Fine. Daniel?"

Regina slid down from the saddle. Henry watched as she handed the reins to the stable boy... and the way her fingers seemed to linger on his.

She thought she was subtle in her affections for that young man, but Regina didn't have Cora's talent for hiding her true feelings. It wasn't long after she blossomed into a woman that she began looking in Daniel's direction with blushing cheeks, smiling fondly whenever he spoke to her, and spending hours alone with him in the riding yard. When the servants began whispering about Regina and Daniel's relationship, Cora had swiftly put an end to it.

Henry held out his arm for Regina and they walked into the palace together.

"Do you want to wash and change your clothes first?" Henry asked.

"Mother will only get angrier if I make her wait," Regina shrugged. "Besides, I want to go back to riding what this is done."

When Henry and Regina entered Cora's study, she was scrawling furiously on a piece of parchment.

"My dear," Henry said to get her attention.

Cora exhaled loudly to signal her irritation, then calmly placed her quill in its ink-pot. "My love. Regina."

"Hello Mother," Regina replied in a neutral tone.

Cora looked her daughter over, wrinkling her nose at the dusty riding clothes and well-worn boots Regina wore. "As you know, I've developed a close friendship with King Ulysses of Misthaven over the past few years. So close, in fact, that we both concluded that it would be mutually beneficially to join our domains through a marriage. His Grace has offered his only son, Prince Leopold, in marriage to our Regina, a match that will elevate our family higher than we ever could have dreamed. Isn't it the most wonderful news? I can hardly write back to him soon enough to accept."

"That's a very long way of saying 'Sweetie I sold you to some spoiled prince'," Regina hissed.

The words were hardly out of her mouth what Regina felts strong, thick fingers wrap tightly around her throat and squeeze tightly. She chocked out a pained breath. There weren't actually hands around her throat, but the dark purple glow of her mother's magic emanating from her fingertips.

"Oh Regina, so ungrateful," Cora shook her head.

Henry sped to his wife side and placed a hand on her should, never taking his eyes off his poor, terrified daughter as she struggled to breathe. "Please stop this Cora. She hasn't been feeling well, she didn't mean to disrespect you," he pleaded.

"Henry, I've told you," Cora scolded, "this is the only way she'll learn."

"She needs gentle guidance; force will not work." Henry shivered as Cora turned her cool brown eyes on him.

"It worked on you," she smirked. Cora dropped her hand, releasing her hold on her daughter.

Regina fell to the ground with a great, deep gasp and Henry was at her side in a flash. He wrapped his arms around her and petted her hair as she lay on the floor, sucking in air as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Cora watched the scene for a few moments. With a self-satisfied smile, she crumpled up the parchment she had been writing on and took out a fresh sheet. She then took the quill and dangled it in front of Regina's face.

"Come along, my beloved little girl, it's time to write to King Ulysses and tell him how excited you are to be marrying his son."

"No," Regina coughed. She raised her eyes to Cora's, her mouth set in a defiant line. "No, I'm not going to keep letting you get your way."

Cora's smile slipped off her face and she replaced it with a mask of cold indifference.

"What are you going to do - kill me?" Regina snapped.

Henry cast a worried glance between his daughter and wife. "Regina..."

"No, let her speak." Cora interrupted.

"You won't be around forever and I'm content to wait until then." Regina staggered to her feet and rose her chin. "You won't kill me because you need me and I can survive anything you throw at me."

Cora nodded. A cruel smirk formed on her lips. "I suppose that's true. You've always been a survivor. But can your precious stable boy survive me?"

Regina almost collapsed. "What? How-"

"Oh, you thought we didn't about your little trysts with the help?" Cora laughed aloud, a sound that pierce Regina's skin like nails. All the color fled from Regina face. "I thought I'd let you have this one indulgence, being the loving mother I am, but clearly this relationship had made you forget your duties to your family."

"No. No, leave Daniel out of this," Regina begged. Her confidence and defiance melted like ice on a summer afternoon. "Please, he has nothing to do with this."

"Oh, he's part of this." Cora grinned, showing all her teeth. She got a sick thrill from watching her daughter squirm in fear.

"I'll marry Prince Leopold, I'll do whatever you want!" Regina pleaded. "Please, mother, please don't hurt Daniel. I couldn't bare it if anything happened to him because of me."

"I know." Cora said simply.

* * *

Emma slipped on her jacket as she shut her computer down for the night. She still had no luck finding Ava and Nicholas' birth father and it seemed more likely they would be staying with her long-term. She just hoped she was up to the task.

"Turning in for the night?" Graham asked, leaving his office and walking into the main part of the station.

"Yup," Emma smiled. "Unfortunately you're gonna have to spend the night alone."

Graham looked at her through half-lidded eyes. "Do I have to?"

"Well, the schedule says you do," she teased.

He chuckled. Without warning, he leaned forward and pecked her lightly on the lips.

Emma flinched.

He looked at her expectantly. "That was..."

"Bye." Emma cut him off and left briskly, fishing through her bag for her keys as she walked so she could make as quick a getaway as possible.

"Wait, Emma, can we talked about this?!"

Graham chased after her, but Emma didn't stop. She slammed the car in his face and pulled out so quickly she was already on the road by the time she processed that the car was moving.

She wasn't looking forward to her next shift.

* * *

Moe Thorne had practically slammed the legal documents in Rumpelstiltskin's hands that morning, before turning back to his car and driving away. It felt like lightning had struck his palm and shot up his arm. Even know, he resisted the urge to march into Regina's office and wrap his hands around her long throat.

He was both pleased and apprehension while he watched from an upstairs window as Emma Swan pulled up to his house in her little yellow bug. While he lived a bit of a ways out of town, he understand there was a chance someone would catch sight of her distinctive vehicle and report back to Regina.

He didn't have a choice; Belle was running out of town.

He opened the door just as Emma rang the doorbell. She flinched, "That was fast."

"Come in."

Rumpelstiltskin sat her down in the living room while he brought out the tea he had prepared specifically for this. It came with some unpredictable side-effects, but he was willing to do anything for Belle.

"I assume you didn't invite me over for small talk?" Emma noted as Rumpelstiltskin served her the tea. He noted that she looked agitated about something, but decided not to ask.

"Perceptive as ever," Rumpelstiltskin replied. "No, Miss Swan. There's a rather serious issue in Storybrooke that only you can rectify. And it has to do with the mayor."

"What, is it money laundering? Rigging elections?"

"Something far worst, but I'm afraid I can't tell you what"

Emma shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "So what do you expect me to do?"

"I'm sure when the time comes, you'll know," Rumpelstiltskin replied.

"Okay, could you possibly be anymore vague?" Emma complained. "You're telling me that Regina's doing sinister, but you won't tell me what she's doing or how I can stop it?"

"Believe me Miss Swan, I would tell you the whole story in a heartbeat if I could, but certain factors prevent that."

"Certain factors," Emma scoffed. "Just what I asked for, more vagueness."

"Will you take this seriously!" Rumpelstiltskin snapped. "I am risking so much just by talking to you. If this got back to Regina." He stopped himself, taking in a few shallow breaths to calm himself.

Emma's annoyed frown changed into a look of confusion and worry. "So, she's dangerous? Do you think she'd be a danger to Henry? Or Ava and Nicky?"

"Henry, I'm not sure," Rumpelstiltskin admitted. "She _seems_ to love him, but there's no telling where that'll lead. Your foster children? Definitely."

Emma waited for her internal lie detector to flare up, but it didn't. The hair on the back of her neck stood up.

"Did Regina...Do you think Regina had anything to do with Priscilla Jefferson's disappearance?"

"I'm certain of it."

Emma slammed the teacup back down on the coffee table. "And you're just _now_ telling me this?"

"Because I'm out of options!" he answered tersely.

"Options?" Emma screeched as she stood to her full height, "This is a fucking murder investigation, you don't have the option of keeping evidence to yourself."

"I have no evidence of Miss Jefferson's death." Rumpelstiltskin remained seated. His breathing deepened and he looked furious.

"Why should I believe you? Why should I listen to anything you're telling me?"

"Because you know that not one of my mouth has been a lie."

Emma paused, studying him. She told Henry about her thing with lies, could he have told Mr. Gold? She couldn't imagine why he'd want to. Maybe she was overthinking it; maybe that wasn't what he meant. "Maybe so, but you're being extremely shady right now. How do I know you don't have some ulterior motive for this?"

"I do have one, it's called protecting my family." Rumpelstiltskin growled.

"Belle?"

"Of course."

Emma studied him, "That's part of it...but there's someone else, isn't there?"

Rumpelstiltskin beckoned her to sit down against, and she did. "My son. He's been missing for a long time and Regina stands in the way of me finding him. I won't give you the specifics - it's not a story I like to tell - but know that I'll do whatever it takes to protect my wife and child."

As Emma stared into her tea contemplatively, Rumpelstiltskin went into the kitchen then returned with the papers Moe Thorne had left him.

"What's this?" Emma set down the tea and picked them up.

"Belle's family is suing me for power-of-attorney."

"Suing _you_?" Emma's eyebrows flew up. "I thought you were the only lawyer in the town; isn't that why Regina wasn't able to adopt Ella?"

"The only lawyer in town who would represent her in a child custody case," Rumpelstiltskin corrected. "Moe French is old friends with Mahmud Rahim, who just retired as district attorney, but agreed to take on one more case before he finished practicing law for good. The Thornes are accusing me of criminal negligence leading to Belle's condition and they..." The words came out like rusty nails. "They want to end Belle's life support. They have no hope that she'll ever wake up and want her to die with dignity."

"Christ. I'm so sorry." Emma responded, feeling genuine sympathy but also confusion. "So, you think me...doing something to Regina...will, in a roundabout way, save your wife?"

"In a manner of speaking," Rumpelstiltskin folded his hands in his lap. "You won't be doing it for me, you'll be doing for the town, and for yourself especially. You have no idea the extent of harm she's done to all of us."

* * *

Emma woke up for the fourth time that night. She thought she had dreamed of a baby crying, but couldn't remember any other details. Feeling poorly-rested, Emma threw the duvet off her sticky, sweaty body and checked her phone for the time.

5:16 A.M.

She plopped on to the couch and after a few minutes of laying there with her eyes open, she accepted the fact that she wasn't going to get anymore sleep and went to the bathroom to take a shower. She thought back to her bizarre meeting with Mr. Gold. What did he want out of her?

Emma performed her morning routine like a robot carrying out its programmed function. When she dropped the kids off at school, Nicholas hesitated.

"Something wrong, kid?" she asked.

He turned to her with a shy smile. "No, I just realize that I like this a lot."

"What?"

Nicholas shrugged, "Living with you and Mary, you guys taking care of us. We're basically a family."

"I-" Emma blinked. She couldn't tell him how she felt about that because she didn't _know_ how she felt about it.

He seemed to sense that the situation was becoming awkward, so he gave Emma and quick hug and said, "See you after school!" as he ran off to join Ava inside.

As she watched him, she noticed Henry standing by the door. She waved to him, but he just glared at her and didn't wave back. That disturbed her. Had she done something to upset him? The events of that morning replayed in Emma's head all day.

At work, she did her best to avoid Graham after his disastrous advance. He tried to bring it up several times, but each time Emma had some excuse to leave the room or pick up the phone. She felt him grow frustrated and knew it was only a matter of time before she had to confront him. Just before his shift ended, he cornered her at her desk.

"We need to talk," he said.

Emma frowned, "There's nothing to talk about it. I think I've made my feelings about that kiss pretty clear."

"So you're just going to avoid me the rest of your time here?" Graham sighed, exasperated.

"As long as you learn to keep your lips to yourself, we'll be fine." She got up to get her coat, but Graham blocked her.

"What, not a fan of workplace relationships?"

"No," Emma replied coldly. "Besides, I'm not anywhere near ready to be in any relationship. Especially not with Priscilla's murderer on the loose, or the fact that I got two children to look after overnight and they're still adjusting to living with me."

Nicholas had said they were like a family - she couldn't wrap her mind around.

"What about Jones?" Graham stepped closer to her; Emma stepped back from him.

"What about him? Killian's just a friend." Emma's patience thinned. "And you're a real pain in the ass, you know that? I ought to file a report against you."

"I just can't stand the fact that you look at me like that!" Graham cried.

"Like what? Why does it matter how I look at you?"

Graham pulled her in by the shoulders and pressed his lips hard against her mouth. Heart pounding, Emma reacted on instinct; she drive her knee upward and slammed it against his crotch, then pushed him off her with all her strength. He landed on the linoleum, hunched over in pain.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" she hissed as her heartbeat returned to normal. "This is the second time in as many days you've kissed me without my consent. You're my goddamn boss _and_ you're seeing someone else!"

Graham groaned as he hobbled to his feet. Rather than angry or ashamed, he looked wild-eyed and confused, "Wait, you don't understand."

"Enlighten me," Emma snarled.

"You don't know what it's like with her. I feel _nothing_ when I'm with her; it's like my heart is outside my body. But when I'm with you-"

"Don't," Emma held up both hands. "I've had my fill of shitty relationship and I don't need to hear about yours. Whatever you think you need to be happy, you're not gonna get it from me. I'm just a lady trying to support two kids. So how about you get over yourself and we pretend this never happened?"

He exhaled deeply. "I...I think my head's in the wrong place. I don't think I'm thinking straight."

"Agreed."

"I'm sorry, Emma," Graham bowed his head in shame. "I shouldn't have violated your boundaries like that. I'm so sorry."

"Let's just leave it in the past," Emma insisted.

He nodded, "Right, of course."

* * *

Under normal circumstances entering the stables gave Regina a sense of comfort and peace that she was sorely missing in her actually home. The warmth from so many large, equine bodies under one roof; the gentle crunch of hay under her boots; the sensation of study, wear-smoothed wood against her fingers. Right now she only felt panic and hopelessness.

Daniel came out of Rocinante's stall and set aside a shovel. "Reggie, are you okay?" Regina threw herself into his arms, tears streaming down her face. To his credit, Daniel accepted it with grace. He let her cry for a few minutes before pulling back and asking against, "Are you okay? What happened?"

Regina took a deep breath to steady herself. "It's my mother. She's so cruel. Today she told me I was to marry some prince - _a complete stranger_ \- for the good of the family and made it clear what would happened if I didn't. She threatened you, Daniel; she knows about us."

"Reggie, Reggie," Daniel held Regina's face in his large, calloused hands. His soft brown eyes held hers. "Your mother doesn't scare me."

"She scares me, Daniel," Regina snapped. "You don't know her like I do."

"What I do know is that I love you more than life itself and I'm not going to leave your side unless you want me to. Do you want me to?"

Regina swallowed thickly, "No, never."

She placed both her hands on his chest, simply relishing his presence. Daniel lowered his head to kiss the crown of her head, nuzzling her dark hair, then he raised her chin to kiss her forehead, then her lips. Regina's breathing sped up as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"We'll thinking of something," Daniel murmured into her hair.

A wild, reckless optimism grabbed hold of Regina. "We can run away. Before King Ulysses and Prince Leopold get her, we can take our horses and get as far away from here as possible." Daniel looked skeptical. Regina, getting drunk on the brilliance of her plan, grabbed his arms, "We can married, change our name. You're a master with horses, that means you can find a job anywhere. I know magic; I can become a witch and sell spells to support us. We'll need supplies, of course, and we'll need to leave a time when everyone's asleep but we could do it."

"Are you sure that's the wisest course of action?" Daniel asked.

"Oh course!" Regina cried. Her voice dropped to a whispered. "Why? Don't you want to marry me?"

"More than anything."

She insisted, "Then this is the only way. I love you so much Daniel, I just want to be with you."

"I love you too Reggie."

Daniel pulled her close for another kiss and Regina kissed back with enthusiasm. Before she realized what her hands were doing, Daniel's coat was on the floor and the buttons of his shift were coming undone. Daniel ripped off her cloak, Regina hastily unlaced his breeches, and in moments they were atop a tall pile of hay, half-dressed and consumed in lust.

When Daniel finished inside her, Regina began laughing.

"What's so funny?" he asked, genuinely confused. He got off from on top of her and they began to dress themselves.

"I'm just imagining telling our future children how we came to be together and that we consummated our relationship next to a horse," she pointed her chin to where Rocinante stood to the side, lazily chewing her oats.

Daniel couldn't help but laugh along with her. "We're not telling them a word of this."

"Maybe _you're_ not," Regina smirked.

"You disappoint me Regina."

Regina and Daniel froze. Cora stood in at the stall door, her arms folded in front of her. Regina's heart beat so fast and head against her rip-cage that it physically pained her.

"M-mother?"

Cora smiled coldly, "I understand that young women have...needs, but I thought you were at least smart enough to be discreet. But here you are rolling around with a servant in the muck, like a disgusting animal. Have you no self control? I hope you won't carry on like this when the royal family comes to claim your hand in marriage."

Regina was too terrified to respond; Daniel had no idea what to say.

"I suppose I have to keep a much closer eye on you, my dear," Cora sighed theatrically. She motioned for Daniel to approach, "Young man, tell me your name."

"Daniel."

"Daniel," Cora repeated. "Do you love my daughter, Daniel?"

"I do," he answered honestly. Dread slothfully trickled into Regina's mind... and then it hit her.

Regina leapt to her feet. "Daniel!" she screamed.

Too late. Cora thrust her arms into chest and yanked out his heart, crimson red and luminous in the dimly lit stables. Regina reached out and caught him as he collapsed. They fell to the ground together.

"No, no, no please, no, mother please," Regina sobbed. In her mind's eye, she saw herself and Daniel and little boy with brown eyes. "I will do anything. I will-I will obey you unconditionally. I'll never speak to him again. Just please, _please don't_."

"You still have so much to learn, child," Cora sneered. Her long, pale fingers curls around Daniel's heart and squeezed until it crumpled into fine, black dust.

With the last of his strength, Daniel looked up at the love of his life. "Reggie-"


	20. White as Snow

Regina found Alexander in his study hunched over his desk reading an old, thick book. The papers were as thin as silk, the cover almost peeling off, and so he handled it with great care. His dark brown, shoulder-length hair was tied back in a loose ponytail and he wore a thick cotton robe over his shoulders. He looked up when he heard her footsteps approaching.

"Good evening, your Grace," he said to her, hardly keeping a yawn out of his voice.

"Alex, it's well past midnight," Regina scolded him gently. "You ought to be in bed."

"I know," Alexander admitted, "But I've been reading up on the history of the kingdom and time got away from me."

Regina leaned over to see what he was reading. She scoffed, "This is ancient, hardly relevant information."

"But I feel as though there's so much I don't know. I just to...learn everything."

"A good king knows how to take himself, and that includes going to bed at the proper hour," Regina replied with a light smile.

Alexander shook his head, but agreed to retire for the night when he finished the chapter he had been reading.

As she began to exit the room, Alexander said, "Wait. Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, anything," Regina answered as she returned to his side.

"What were my sisters like?"

Regina's face fell. "What?"

Alexander elaborated, "I mean, what were they like as children? How did they get along with you and with my father? People talk about him all the time, but no one ever seems to mention my sisters. Weren't they good queens?"

" _Half_ -sisters," Regina corrected snappishly. "Snow White was never a queen, and Rose Red was a child. You don't need to compare yourself to them. Why would you even ask that?"

"I grew up an only children and now I have two half-sisters I'll never get to meet," Alexander frowned. "I guess I just wanted to be able to imagine what it would have been like to know them. I didn't mean to upset you, your Grace. It must difficult talking about them after what happened."

Regina attempted, "It is. You don't have to apologize for that, I understand why you're curious. And I told you, call me Regina. I'm your mo-stepmother, that practically makes us family."

"Can I ask you something else, Regina? Why do you like me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Regina replied with a short laugh. "You're kind, intelligent, hardworking, eager to help others - just like...just like your father."

His smile sent a dagger into Regina's chest. "Thank you. But when I first arrived, before you knew me as person, you were already to welcoming and nurturing toward me. I thought you'd be upset that I was taking your children's throne."

 _You're my child_ , she longed to say. Instead, Regina composed herself. "Snow White killed my husband and Rose Red met a untimely end. Neither of those had anything to do with you, so why would I direct my anger toward you? You were my innocent stepson, the only son of my beloved...Leopold. You're all I have left of him."

Alexander murmured, "I didn't realize he meant that much to you. Cousin Edward said you had an arrange marriage, that neither of you looked forward to the wedding."

"That's true..." Regina answered carefully, "But things changed as we got to know each other."

They didn't change for the better, but they certainly changed, Regina thought bitterly. When they first got married, Leopold had been all bland smiles and empty compliments. He had his amusements - his hunting companions, his gambling parties, his wine, his women - so he left Regina alone in their shared tower like a porcelain plate meant to be occasionally displayed but never touched. That time was the better part of their marriage. After his father died and he became king, Leopold gradually became something darker.

It began with his jealousy. She had to come out of the tower to hold court beside him as his queen, and he hated watching her interact with other men - never mind the fact that he spent half his nights in some other woman's bed. Then the empty compliments became veiled insults...and unveiled insults. Whenever she ordered a new gown, he would snidely ask, "Who are you trying to impress?" Nothing she did was ever good enough for him, everything she said seemed to anger him.

At night she would lie in her bed half-frozen with fear that he would visit her, spread her legs open, and take his pleasure from without no thought to how much he would hurt her. When she became pregnant with Snow, and later with Red, all she was haunted by the cries of the only child she actually wanted, Daniel's son, who her bitch of her mother had handed off to random pair of farmers the moment he came out of her.

She _had_ wanted to love her daughters. Leopold didn't become kinder when they were born, but he left her alone more often after they were born. They were a reprieve from his cruelty. But how could she looked them in the face and not think of the horror she endured for them to exist? How could she not think of the daughters she was suppose to have with Daniel? She kept her distance from them; if they needed hugs and kisses, they had their father.

It only got worse as the girls grew up and began to idealize their father. He kept his vices and viciousness well hidden from his children, leaving them solely for Regina's viewing pleasure. Leopold spoiled them both rotten, especially his firstborn and heiress, and left the actually parenting to Regina. Parenting, of course, involved discipline, so it didn't take long for Snow and Red to start seeing her as a sort of enemy. And didn't _that_ please Leopold?

Alexander smiled again, "That's good to hear. I'm glad you two were happy together. Maybe we could talk about another time?"

Regina forced herself to return his smile. "Of course. Now, finish your book and go to bed. You need your rest."

* * *

When Mary got out of the bathroom, dressed and ready to face the morning, she found Emma in the kitchen downing a cup of coffee. Her blonde hair was uncombed and pulled into a low ponytail, the natural black color peeking out at the roots. Emma's face looked washed out and exhausted; her eyes were red and puffy, her mouth sagged into a scowl.

"Morning. Are you okay?" Mary walked over and poured yourself a cup. "No offense, but you look terrible."

"I know," Emma replied, with no emotion in her voice. "I've just been having these weird, vivid nightmares and I can't sleep."

"For how long?"

"Since, um, I think it was since I visited Mr. Gold and he told me all those things about Regina," Emma stated. "You know, I think that might have something to do with it, because all of them have been about her."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mary asked as she took a seat at the counter. "It might help."

Emma sat down beside her, "Okay, so, all my nightmares have been roughly the same. I'm in a car driving through the forest before stopping in Storybrooke, then the next thing I know, I'm on a hospital bed, chained to the bed with handcuffs on my wrists and ankles. And I'm...having a baby."

"Good morning!"

Emma flinched at the interruption.

Ava rushed down the stairs and hugged Mary, then Emma. Emma kissed her foster daughter's forehead, "Hey, kid. Is your brother up?"

"No, he's still asleep," Ava shrugged. "Can we go to the park today?"

Mary raised an eyebrow, "Last I checked, I'm pretty sure your teacher assigned you plenty of homework for the weekend."

Ava pouted. "There are two days in a weekend. I can do it tomorrow."

"Sorry kid, I'm gonna be busy today," Emma said with an apologetic shrug. "Maybe tomorrow. Right now you should brush your teeth."

"Fine," Ava huffed.

Once she was out of earshot, Mary turned to Emma expectantly, waiting to hear the rest.

Emma took another sip of her coffee before she continued, "I don't know, I'm just suddenly nine-months pregnant, and in labor, and then Regina walks in. She puts some kind of cloth over my face so I can't see anything, and when the baby's born I can hear her walking away with it. And its terrifying because I can't get loose, I can't do anything, and I don't know what she plans to do with it. Then everything goes black and I wake up. What do you think it means?"

Mary furrowed her brow, "It sounds like this has to do with Henry."

"Henry?" Emma blinked. "He's not in my nightmare."

"What if the baby _is_ Henry, or a representation of him?" Mary suggested. "You're angry that Regina has been keeping you from him and worried that he's starting to resent you for it."

"I guess that makes sense..." Emma replied, though her voice had a trace of skepticism.

"Since you've gotten here, Henry's been talking about possibly being your biological son. I think subconsciously you wish he _was_ your, that you hadn't lost your baby, so your mind came up with a scenario where he was."

"I don't know about all that," Emma chuckled nervously.

Mary grimaced, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit a nerve."

"It's okay," Emma reassured her. "I know you're just trying to help, but I don't think psychoanalyzing me is going to help."

"Yeah, you're probably right. But still, it's weird. How long have you had these?" Mary asked.

Emma frowned as she tried to remember. "It was after that weird meeting with Mr. Gold."

"That was right after he told you Regina was dangerous, which mean-"

"Mary..." Emma warned.

"Sorry," Mary blushed, before she took another sip of coffee.

"Look, I've got a meeting at the courthouse this morning and I don't want to be late. Can we talk about this later?"

Mary cocked her head to the side, "A meeting for what?"

"One of the clerks said they had the info on the twins' biological father," Emma replied in a low voice.

"Oh," Mary's tone was filled with sympathy. "Good luck. I'll let Ava know you went out."

Emma gave her a tight smile before gathering her things and walking out the door.

* * *

"I'm so happy for all three of you!" Snow White cried as she embraced her sister and sister-in-law, then her brother-in-law.

Ye Xian had not been able to keep a smile off her face since she learned that she was pregnant. Her wife and husband stood at either side of her, and each held onto one of her hands. The triad had only been married a year, in a lavish ceremony that doubled as a celebration of Queen Regina's finale defeat. Snow had announced her own pregnancy only a few weeks before and nobody had expected another round of good news so soon.

"We wanted you to be the first to know," Red replied. She couldn't have been happier; by the year's end, she would become an aunt and then a mother.

Charming shook his head and laughed, "Oh god, we're gonna have nine kids under the age of ten running around."

"We've handled worse," Nagaraj laughed.

The two pairs of hurried footsteps interrupted the conversations. The young monarchs turned to see two of the lower ranking warlocks approach them, their faces severe and concerned, and bowed respectfully.

"What is it?" Snow asked, immediately recognizing that something was wrong. The joyful mood evaporated into the air.

The elder warlock, a pink-skinned woman with two thick blonde braids falling over her shoulders, answered the young queen, "A witch from the realm of Oz has come seeking an audience with you, your Grace."

Snow and Charming locked eyes; they both thought of the witch that Charming had caught spying on them.

"Gives a second," Snow replied. She turned to her sister and Red gave her a sad smile.

"A queen's work is never done," Red squeezed her sister's hand. "Go - we'll go tell Grandfather the good news and write to Nagaraj's parents."

Snow nodded, then looped her arm around her husband's as they followed the warlocks to the throne room. Inside Snow took her position on the throne and Charming stood beside her with one hand on the hilt of his sword. Stiff-backed and stern, they waited a few moments for Frau Holle to escort the witch inside. She was a tall, handsome woman with long red-and-grey hair, wearing well-made green clothes and brown leather boots. She tried keep a neutral expression, but beams of doubt, fear, and anger escaped from her eyes.

"I presume you're the same woman who spied on my husband and sons several weeks ago?" Snow began coldly. "Tell me your name?"

The witch had the grace - or cunning - to look penitent. "I am Zelena of Oz." She paused a moment, as if waiting for a reaction, but Snow and Charming did not move. "I gave my sincerest apologies for scaring your family, your Grace. I only want to get a measure of what kind of people you were before I delivered my message. But rest assured, I would never hurt those my own niece's family."

Snow's eyes widen. She leaned forward on her throne as Charming's hand tightened around his sword. "Your niece?" Snow exclaimed.

Zelena nodded, with a small, bitter smile on her lips. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised my sister, your mother, never told you about me - my very existence vexes her to no end."

"Your lying," Snow scoffed. "My mother talked about her family all the time. And my grandfather loves his entire family, despite...recent conflicts. He would have mentioned you."

"He doesn't know about me," Zelena explained, bitterness creeping into her voice with each word, like a fog coming in on the wind. "Before she married him, your grandmother conceived me with a common gardener, gave birth to me in secret, and sent me away to Oz so I couldn't interfere with her plan to become royalty. I was adopted and I was happy, until Regina decided I was a threat to her achieving her goals."

Charming raised an eyebrow, "You expect us to believe that Lady Cora never told her husband about you, but that she told Regina?"

"I was finished," Zelena snapped. "No, Cora took the secret of my birth to her grave, but she wasn't the only one who knew about me. She gave me to the Dark One as part of a bargain she made with him; he's the one who brought me to my adoptive parents."

Snow grew impatient with Zelena's ridiculous tale. "Why would the Dark One bargain for a woman's child only to give it to someone else?"

"Give me a chance to finish my story and you'll find out," Zelena answered sternly. "My mother's father bragged that she could spin straw into gold and a local duke ordered her to do - with the promise that she would pay dearly if her father had lied. She was desperate, and called on the Dark One, only half believe he would actually appear to her. But he did, and he performed her task for her in exchange for her firstborn child - me."

"My adoptive parents told me the story while I was growing up, but I never believed them. I thought it was something they made up to make me feel better about being abandoned. But when I became a young woman, the Dark One sought me out. He told me I had been with innate magical abilities and offered to take me on as his protegee. How could I not accept? It wasn't for another decade that I learned about Regina - he'd been training her whenever he wasn't with me. I believe she was already married to your father by then. I wanted to meet her, so I traveled to her realm behind the Dark One's back. Regina wasn't happy to find out she had an older half-sister than her mother had give up. She accused me of lying and threatened to have me tortured if I didn't go and stay gone." Zelena took a deep breath.

Snow gripped the arms of her throne. That did sound like her mother. "So, what, now that she's been exiled, you want a family reunion?"

"You didn't what the Dark One was training us for?" Zelena cocked her head to the side. Snow and Charming answered with silence, so she explained, "He wants something in the Land Without Magic, and he's been trying to find someone to create a portal there."

"The Dark One is an incredibly powerful magical being," Snow noted. "If anyone could create such a portal, he could. Why would he need to train others to do it for him?"

Zelena explained, "It involves a curse - a curse that comes with a price he's not willing to pay himself. He's been trying to manipulate others into paying it for him."

"What price?" Snow asked, dread began to slither around lungs and heart.

"The heart of the one you love most. It's human sacrifice," Zelena stated. "This curse is like nothing I've never ever seen before. It was take hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people to the Land Without Magic, but they won't be themselves. They'll be trapped in a small geographic area, with their memories erased and replaced with whatever the spell-caster fancies. Knowing Regina, she'll be sure to make everyone involved as miserable as possible."

Snow straight in her seat, "So Regina _is_ alive?"

"I saw her face-to-face several months ago. Since the end of the war, she's been in hiding as a common witch," Zelena answered gravely. "She's angry and desperate, which doesn't bode for anyone."

"So, you came here to warn us that she might be desperate to cast this curse," Charming noted.

"She told me herself that was her plan."

"What can we do to stop her?" Snow demanded. "Tell us everything you know!"

* * *

The bell above the door jingled and Ruby looked up instinctively too see who it was. Mayor Mills walked into the diner holding a sulking Henry by the wrist.

"C'mon, it'll be nice," she tried to coax her son. "You love going to Granny's."

It was sad, almost, watching her flail around trying to get her own kid to like her, but when Ruby remembered how Regina tried to take Ashley's baby from her, her sympathy dried up like a puddle on a hot summer day. She just hoped they didn't-

They sat at her table. Ruby groaned internally as she gathered her notepad and pencil and got ready to take their order. As expected, Regina was about as warm as a glacier as Ruby greeted them and got ready to take their order.

"Give me a second, I need the ladies' room." Regina said after she had ordered some pasta, a salad, and some apple cider. She cooed to Henry, "Order anything you like sweetie. You can have double desserts if you want."

'What he want is to see Emma, Mary, and his friends,' Ruby thought to herself as Regina got up to leave.

"Hey, buddy," she told Henry, "You've been feeling okay."

Henry's "Yeah, fine," sounded like a complete lie, and Ruby felt silly for even asking.

"I'd understand if you were feeling pretty down. Your mom isn't the easiest person to deal."

"You can say that again," Henry agreed.

"We all miss having you around, Emma especially," Ruby told him.

"Emma doesn't miss me!" Henry snapped. "Not when she has Ava and Nicholas."

Ruby's mouth fell open in surprise, "You don't really believe that, do that? Of course Emma misses you, she cares so much about you."

Henry said nothing.

"Are you jealous of the twins?"

"No, I just," Henry searched for the right words, "I guess Emma does care about me, but she's been spending so much more time with them."

"Well, she's their foster mother and you're under lock-and-key until your mom learns to chill," Ruby noted. "That doesn't mean Emma loves you any less."

Henry looked up at her for the first time, big brown eyes close to shedding tears, "Do you really think Emma loves me?"

"She changed her entire life for you," Ruby pointed out. "I know things suck now, but you have faith that Emma will be there for you no matter what. Things are going to be better, I promise."

Henry smiled for the first time in what felt like forever.

"In the meantime, maybe be a little nicer to your mom." Seeing the disgust on his face, Ruby added. "I'm not saying she's not terrible, but she's trying really hard to make you happy. If she thinks you're meeting her halfway, she might be more willing to let you off your leash."

"But I can just pretend, right?"

"Sure buddy, whatever you think is right."

"Henry, you still haven't chosen what you wanted?" Regina exclaimed as she returned from the restroom.

"I just did!" Henry quickly ordered a grilled cheese sandwich with onion rings and hot chocolate with cinnamon - Emma's usual.

"Coming right up," Ruby grinned.


	21. Red as Blood

Dr. Rosie West popping into Belle Gold's room as she always did at 6 p.m. to check up on the young woman. She lay on the hospital bed, same as always; no improvement and no change. Such a shame what happened to her; Rosie couldn't remember how Mrs. Gold had ended up in such a state, but she was sure it would come to her eventually. Poor thing. She deserved a good life, to be able to go for a walk with her husband, maybe with a child or two running ahead of them. Rosie's thoughts turned to Belle's husband, wondering how he could possible cope with such a horrible situation.

Mr. Gold ate up her daily reports like a man ate a buffet every night and was never full. Satisfied, Rosie went to turn off the light, but a strangle, gurgling noise bubbled out of Belle's throat. He voracious appetite for good news had begun to wear on her, but Rosie didn't have in her to stop checking on Belle for him. If she were in his position, with a loved one in the hospital for weeks, wouldn't she behave the same way?

Instinctively, Rosie turned to the monitors of the various machines keeping her alive. Her numbers had taken a dramatic turn for the worse.

* * *

Red knew it was foolish to walk outside the village alone at night, especially knowing she had been almost been killed by that lion a few days ago, but she couldn't stop herself from looking for any sign of her sister. She desperately missed Snow. Granny gave her stern looked each time she went out, but never tried to stop her; she knew it would have been futile. The neighbors never said anything either, because they never wanted much to do with her anyway. Each night for four nights straight, Redtook a small lamp and circled the village twice, hoping for a trace her big sister.

On the fifth night, as she walked down the dirt path that cut through the wheat fields, careful not to accidentally set the whole crop ablaze, she found more than she was looking for. Snow appeared from the between the tall stalks of wheat. The sisters didn't say a word as they run to each and hugged, holding on each tightly as if they expected the ripped apart again at a moment's notice. Red relished the warmth of her older sister's skin against her cheek, the sensation of Snow's fine, black fair tickling her nose.

Snow found her voice first, "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Red replied. "I was so scared I would never see you again."

"You don't blame me for what happened to Father?" Snow asked, fear trickling into her voice with each word like honey poured into a cup of tea.

Red pulled away a little so she could look Snow in the face. "I know you didn't kill him," she stated. "I never doubted your innocence for a moment."

"That makes one person," Snow smiled sadly.

"I think Mother tried to kill me too," Red confessed.

Snow's smile fell of her face, "I heard rumors that you had been killed by an animal."

"A werewolf attacked me while Mother and I were returning to the Summer Palace," Red explained. "I've become one now, but I think it did mean to kill me. Granny thought I was dead when she found me."

"Granny?"

"Widow Lucas. I asked her not to reveal my true to identity to her neighbors; I didn't want to return to Mother. So, she told them that I was her granddaughter, Eva, and I soft of just became her granddaughter."

"I'm glad you found a place where you can be safe and happy," Snow stated with a soft look on her face.

"How have things been for you?" Red knew that answer couldn't be good, but she still felt compelled to ask.

Snow's expression turned grave. "Not well. When the guards chased me out of the palace, I ran into the forest and lived off the land for a few months. Afterwards I tried my hand at living as a peasant, but Mother set up wanted signs and whenever someone recognized me, I had to flee again. I tried begging. That didn't pan out well. Eventually I became a bandit, but I only targeted nobles. Especially those who aligned themselves with Mother."

Red winced at the description of his sister's misery. Even at her worse, Red at least had a roof over her head and food to eat. She reached out and touched Snow's arms, noting how thin and muscular they were, hardened by a hard life. "I'm sorry."

"Mother is the one who ought to be sorry," Snow replied darkly. "Some days I wish I could make her pay."

"Let's do it then," Red suggested. "We can get our revenge on her and take back the kingdom from her."

"What are you thinking?" Snow looked aghast. "We have no army, no allies, nothing. We could never go up against her."

Red replied, "We can try! We can look for some proof of your innocence and-"

"No!" Snow stated firmly. "It'll never happen and its no worth the risk. You have a good life, and I don't want you to ruin it seeking revenge."

"But Snow-"

"Please don't do that me. Don't make me watch you suffer and starve and risk your life for me," Snow hissed. "I have spent the last few years dreading what Mother have done to you while she had you all alone. Then I spent the last few months thinking you had died in an animal attack, only to finding being chased by a lion. Please, all I want is for you to be safe, and now you are. Don't throw that away for nothing."

"It wouldn't be nothing!" Red cried, "It would be for Father, for the kingdom, for us. You can't seriously tell me you want to just let Mother get away with all her crimes."

"Of course I do! I _hate_ her, she took our Father from us and ruined our lives," Snow cried, putting her hands on Red's shoulders. "But I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you. Promise me you won't do something stupid and get yourself hurt."

* * *

Ruby woke up to the sound of Ella crying in her bassinet. She was lying half-on Ashley, on Ashley'd bed in her apartment, both of them still in their work clothes and with their shoes on. She whipped out her phone and checked the time - 1:54 A.M. She didn't even remember falling asleep. Last she knew they were having chatting after work (mostly to complain about customers).

"Hey, sweet pea," Ruby cooed as she picked up the baby. Ella whimpered as Ruby rocked her back to sleep.

The next morning Ruby and Ashley left Ella with Granny and got back to work. In the space of an hour, Ruby had gotten three orders incorrect, spilled her trey twice, and received a vicious tongue-lashing from an irate vegan she'd accidentally placed a burger in front of. At noon, when she was on her third cup of coffee, Teddy walked in and ordered lunch for his crew.

"You okay, Ruby?" Teddy asked as Ruby handed him the to-go bags.

Ruby faked a smile, "Never better! Have a nice day."

Teddy did not leave. "I'm serious, you and have been like the walking dead for the last couple of weeks."

"Well," Ruby admitted sheepishly, "Keeping a busy work schedule while taking care of a newborn hasn't exactly been easy."

Teddy nodded, "I get it, you feel overwhelmed."

"I just don't know how much longer we can keep this us," Ruby sighed. "I'm exhausted all the time and I can't focus; plus I know Ashley's not dong much better. Granny does so much to help us out already, but she still has a business to run herself."

"You know, you could always ask for help," Teddy suggested. "I takes a village to raise a child, and all."

"I couldn't. Ella is _our_ responsibility." Ruby answered.

"Technically, she's Ashley's," Teddy pointed out. Ruby asked him to clarify what he meant. "You're not Ella's legal parent. I'm not saying you aren't an important person in her life, you are obviously, but legally speaking, she's not your responsibility. You're already Ashley raise her, so why is it such a big deal if anyone else helps raise her? You know, I just got transferred to the night crew. I could watch her during the day, and you guys could take her home at night."

Ruby bit her lip angrily. Teddy was only trying to help, but he'd stung her pride. "Excuse me, I have costumers to get to."

* * *

"You are _not_ pulling the plug on my wife!" Rumpelstiltskin barked. "I'll be dead before I let you give up on her!"

* * *

Belle threw open the curtains of her bedchamber, holding a cup of tea that had appeared on her table, like it always did. After several months of living in the Beast's castle, it was almost as if she had been living there all along, but the ache of missing her family never quite went away. Outside the hills were as green as ever and still covered with wildflowers, as if autumn had decided to take a break this year. It should have been winter by now.

After she finished eating, showing, and dressing, Belle went to the library as she usually did, but today she had the hope that she could speak to the Beast about something personal. In her time at the Beast's castle, he had become warmer and more receptive to her. They talked about the books they both loved, about politics and culture, and about her childhood, but he never seemed to want to talk about himself. She still didn't know his name! What did he have to hide? Was she ready to sort through the skeletons in his closet?

She smoothly opened the large double doors of the library, sighing deeply to inhale the smell of old books. Her satin slippers slid across the polished floors, silent against the cool marble as she canvassed the bookshelves for something new to read while she waiting for the Beast to make himself know. She felt at home here. In the corner of her eye, she noticed an auburn-brown trail of hair on one of the carpets. That was new; she hadn't noticed any animals in the castle or the grounds. She followed it to one of the reading nooks.

A...creature sat in one of the large, wing-backed chair with an open book in its lap, snoring softly with its chin resting against its head. Its massive form hardly fit the chair, which stained to contain its weight, and its long, oddly-shaped legs stretched out in front. The coarse, thick auburn-brown hair covered every inch of its body, even its face and hands. Paws? They were enormous and vaguely human-shaped, with muscular fingers ending in inch-long, razor-sharp nails as yellow as the saber-like fangs sprouting from its thick lips. A pair of twisted, pitch-black horns emerged from its cranium.

Belle's feet told her flee, to take her house back from the stables, force open the front gate, and take off any any direction, anywhere away from this bizarre castle; but her brain told her to take note of her situation. It wore clothes, she noted. No shoes, but it wore clothes and read books. This wasn't some wild, uncontrollable animal; it could be reasoned with.

"Hello," she said softly. The creature didn't stir. "Hello!" Belle repeated more loudly.

The creature startled awake, looking a bit disorientated as it opened its eyes and looked around. The large, yellow orbs with crimson red iris settled on Belle. "Dear God!" the creature cried out in shock. It looked at its hands, then felt around its body and even clutched his horns. After a self moments of self-inspection, the install surprise seemed to wear off, but the creature regarded Belle with apprehension, timidity, embarrassment, and...fear?

"I'm sorry to wake you," Belle stated. "Um, have you been here the whole time?"

"I have," came the stiff reply. She knew that voice at once.

"You're the owner of the castle!" Belle realized. "Is this why you never wanted to me see your face? I don't mind, you know, the horns and all. They make you look...distinguished."

The Beast growled, "I don't appreciate lies, even those kindly meant."

"I wasn't lying," Belle insisted. "I've been wait gone-know-how-long to put a face to the voice I've been hearing."

"It's not _my_ face."

Belle narrowed her eyes, "How is that not your face? Do you mean it's not your _true_ face? Were you cursed to look like this?"

"My, don't you ask a lot of questions, dearie?" the Beast sneered.

"Come on, you've known me for months. You know everything about me," Belle approached the Beast, now ironically unused to speaking with another person face-to-face rather than speak to the open air, "but I know nothing about you."

"What could you possibly want to know about me?"

"Your name, for one thing."

A moment's hesitation. "My mother named me Adam, but my fairy godmother called me Rumplestiltskin."

"Can I call you 'Rumple', then?" Belle smiled.

He shrugged, "Call me whatever you want. I don't care."

Belle's smile fell. She felt him slipping away from her, back to being that reclusive shadow who had evaded her during her first weeks at the castle. "It does matter. You're my friend. No matter what you look like."

Rumple stood up abruptly, startling Belle as he rose to his full height. "Really, dearie?" he mocked. "This is dangerous. I never should have let you see me, I shouldn't have gotten sloppy."

"What do you mean by dangerous?" Belle steeled herself against his cynicism.

"I shouldn't even be talking to you."

"If your or I are in danger, you need to tell me," Belle insisted.

Rumple glared at her with hideous yellow-and-red eyes, but he couldn't keep up the facade. His face softened, fear and concern replacing the mask of anger. "It's not a happy story."

"That doesn't surprise me," Belle replied, her lips curled into a sad, understanding smile.

* * *

Ruby woke up a hour earlier than she normally did to follow through with her normal morning routine; showing, dressing, brushing her teeth, combing her hair. Most morning she did these things as if she were autopilot, like her body didn't need her brain to function, but today she carried a nervous energy. She knocked on Ashley's door. Ashley answered still wearing her pajamas and a dressing gown, clutching a cup of black coffee in one hand. Ashley's hair stuck out in all directions and purple-ish circle decorated her eyes.

"Hey," Ruby greeted. "You ready?"

Ashley shrugged, "Ella is, but I don't know if I am."

Inside, Ella dozed peacefully in her car-seat. Ashley had dressed her in a new green onesie and striped yellow-and-white socks. Beside the car-seat a full-stocked diaper-bag sat on the table. Ruby gave Ashley an impressed look.

Ashley kissed her daughter on the forehead and whispered, "Promise Mommy you'll be good for Teddy and his auntie? Okay baby girl, I love you so much."

Ten minutes later Ruby had Ella in her car as she searched for the Mishra family home. It took a while, and more than a few glances at the map of Storybrooke, for Ruby to finally find the narrow, twisted road that led up to the modest farmhouse. It looked small, but cozy; somewhere she would mind Ella growing up in.

What was she thinking? Ella was Ashley's daughter, no hers.

A curtain moved, and not ten seconds later Teddy stepped out of the door. Like Ashley he had his pajamas on, but he looked much more well-rested. Ruby apprehension about the plan melted away and she felt only gratitude and relief that they had Teddy to lean on. He greeted them with a big smile and a one-armed hug for Ruby.

"Thanks so much for doing this," Ruby told him. "If it doesn't work out-"

He answered, "Don't worry, I'm happy to. And I'm sure things'll be just fine. My aunt loves kids; she'll be happy to have a little one around the house every once in a while." Teddy slung the diaper bag over his shoulder and took hold of the car-seat with Ella still in it. His smile as he looked down on the baby did strange things to Ruby; it made her feel as thought her heart were too big for her chest. "Mommy and Aunt Ruby don't have anything to worry, do they _pari_?" Teddy said to Ella in a high-pitched baby voice.

 _Aunt_ Ruby? That didn't sound quite right.

Ella giggled and tried to grab onto Teddy's nose. He wrapped his fingers around her tiny, delicate hand, before looking up at Ruby. "Really, I've got it covered. You should probably head back so you're not late for work."

"Of course," Ruby said, sounding happier than she felt. "Just don't forget to-"

"Set her down for her nap at 3 PM, check her diaper every four hours, and make sure she has her nightlight on tonight." Teddy finished with an infuriatingly charming smile.

Ruby chuckled, though she sounded strangely nervous, "I guess you were paying attention."

"We'll see you tomorrow, Ruby."

* * *

Long after the rest of the war council had disassembled for the night, Red went over the army's planned movements for the following month, wondering if there wasn't a faster, more efficient way to reach King George's castle. As her candle burned shorter and her eyes began to grew heavy, a sharp knock on the door snapped her awake.

"Enter," she commanded.

A guard came in with two individuals, a young man and young woman. They looked about the same age as Snow, but otherwise they had few physical similarities. The man was tall and sinewy, with a bronze skin, strong features, and lush, thick black hair. His companion's hair was black too, but it seemed more a long waterfall of silk. Her face was pale, her features delicate. She stood much shorter than the man, but seemed just as muscular.

"Who are you?" Red asked.

The man spoke, "My name is Prince Nagaraj, I was a close friend of the late Prince James, son of King George. This is my fiancee, Ye Xian."

Red's eyes narrowed. "You're an ally of King George? In that case, you either very brave or very foolish to come here," she replied coldly.

"As much as I loved James, I cannot tolerate what his father has become. I knew David of Misthaven, the shepherd boy who impersonated James before King George had him turned into a bear. I know he was forced into it, and punished when he failed to complete King George's impossible task."

The mention of her brother-in-law surprised Red. Not many people knew of the twin-switch or David's curse, so it was likely that this man told the truth, but she decided to play it safe. "Let's assume, for argument's sake, I believed any of what you just told me. Why should I believe you are anything but spies that George sent to sniff out any weakness in my sister's army?"

"You can have us drink a truth serum, if that'll ease your suspicions," the woman, Ye Xian, answered. "We want no part in the kind of George has been dabbling with. If you find it in yourself to trust us, we'll be more than happy to help Queen Snow White win back her throne from the Usurper."

"Why do you care about my sister's throne?" Red raised an eyebrow.

"David is my friend," Nagaraj told her, "As close as friend as James was. He was...he was with me when James passed away, he protected me from the men who claimed I killed their beloved prince. I will be loyal to him until the day I die, and if he says Snow White is the rightful Queen of Misthaven, that's all the proof I need too swear my loyalty to her as well."

* * *

AN: Happy New Year everyone! I can't believe I've been working on this for an entire year. My New Year's resolution is the same as last year, to finish this story; my first complete novel-length story. I've been a pretty job so far, so we'll just have to see where 2019 takes us.


	22. Black as Ebony

The rain came down in unrelenting sheets of cold water, so heavy Emma nearly missed the sign that read, "Welcome to Storybrook. It took less than a second to decided she would spent the night there. She didn't know how long it would take to find another town and didn't want to risk getting stranded on the side of the road, especially in this weather, so she made the turn and entered the town. The small, quaint town sat in the middle of a large, dense forest bordered on one side by the Atlantic Ocean. Small shops and an inn dotted Main Street, as well neat houses with evenly cut lawns and white-picket fences. It had the typical small-town charm, but Emma sensed something off about this place.

Still, she drove up to the inn and dashed out of the door, her bags clenched in her hands. Inside she asked for a room, ignoring the gaudy floral wallpaper and faint scent of mildew. Neither the old woman in charge of the inn nor her surly-looking granddaughter seemed to really see her. Their eyes had the glassy, far-away look she'd seen on one of her foster brothers when he got caught doing drugs in the basement, but unlike him these women were still and quiet. It creeped Emma out.

She realized, as the younger woman led her to a room on the third floor, that neither of them had commented on her prominent baby bump. Since she'd started showing, people had either cooed and gushed about her baby, or given her sharp judgement for being a single teen mom. These women had done neither.

Emma tossed her meager belongings onto the low, narrow bed; a duffel bag stuffed with two changes of clothes, a worn-out backpack with some personal items, and her baby blanket. She eased onto the bed, mindful of her bump, and closed her eyes. Already, she regretted spending money on a room instead of sneaking in somewhere or sleeping in her car. Neal left her with $20,000 from selling the stolen watches, but that would only take her so far, especially with the other little gift he left her. She hadn't even found out she was pregnant until three weeks after he ditched her. Eyes still closed, she felt her bump. The kid was sitting still for the moment. Emma couldn't deny how nice it felt to lie on a real bed, but she knew she couldn't stay long.

'Just until the morning', she told herself as she drifted off to sleep.

After what only felt like minutes, Emma woke to the sound of high heels furiously clicking against a hardwood floor. Light streamed in from the window, signalling that it was already morning. But Emma didn't feel the least bit rested. She still wore her rain-dampened clothes.

"Where is she?" a woman screamed.

Emma thought, 'I'd hate to be whoever she's talking about.'

A fist pounded against her door.

Damn it. Had she parked illegally last night?

"Open this door immediately!" the woman demanded.

Emma rolled out of bed and put marginal effort into straightening her hair and clothes before she opened the door. On the other side stood a middle-aged woman with an expression that Emma had become familiar with during her time in foster care, a hybrid of rage and distress.

"Hello, is somethin-"

"Did Rumpelstiltskin sent you? What is he planning?"

"Rum-Rumpelstiltskin?" Emma blinked, now more confused than annoyed. She noticed the innkeeper standing behind the middle-aged woman with the barest glimmer of concern in her eyes. Was this some kind of prank? "The fairy tale character?"

The middle-aged woman straightened her features, "How did you get here?"

Emma crossed her arms, "My name's Emma, thanks for asking. I drove here. Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the mayor of this town."

"With those people skills? Is a wonder you ever got elected." Emma fumed.

"Excuse me!" the mayor's eyes widened in shocked. Clearly she wasn't used to be talked back to.

"Do you have a good reason to be pounding on my door?"

"Stop that!" the mayor barked. "You haven't answered a single one of my questions."

Emma replied, "And neither have you. I don't owe you anything, lady, even if you are the mayor. Now I'm gotta take a shower, get something to get eat, and then get the hell out of the freaky town." As Emma tried to close the door, the mayor tried to block her, but Emma managed to shut the door in her face. Maybe stopping in Storybrooke had been a mistake.

She stripped off her clothes and ran to the shower, taking only several minutes to clean herself before she dried off and get dressed again. As she stuffed her soiled clothes into her duffel bag, another pounding came to her door.

"Open up, this is the police," a stern male voice from the other side of the door commanded.

Fuck. What the fuck had she done?

Emma opened the door slowly. "Hello?"

A white man stood in front of her. He wore a star-shaped badge that read "SHERIFF" over his breast pocket. His eyes had the same glassy look that innkeeper and her granddaughter had.

His long arms reached out for her. Emma recoiled, but he grabbed her, spun her around, and locked her arms behind her back.

"Can you at least tell me what I'm being charged with?" she whimpered.

Emma hated how small and sad she sounded, but she couldn't hold back the cold fear creeping into her veins. Had they found about the shoplifting, the breaking-and-entering, the conning? Had Neal given her over to the police and told them about the watches? How had he even known she'd be here? No, this couldn't have anything to do with Neal. He couldn't have guessed she'd go to Maine, much less a tiny, backwater town in the middle of nowhere. The mayor. She probably had something to do with it. What had she been upset about, again?

The sheriff didn't answer her; he just slammed a set of handcuffs on her and led her downstairs, on hand firmly on her left shoulder. He didn't even recite her Miranda rights.

"Aren't you gonna read me my rights?" she questioned. He didn't say another, didn't seem like he _could_ say anything. A jagged, hysterical laugh climbed out of her throat as they reached the first floor landing. "This can't be legal."

They passed the innkeeper and her granddaughter in the lobby. Neither woman reacted to Emma's arrest (though by now it was beginning to feel more like a kidnapping), as if they couldn't even see what was happening. 'I haven't paid for my room yet,' Emma noted.

Outside a few people drifted to work, and wherever Emma turned they all had the same blank, dead-eyed expression.

"Oh my god, where the fuck am I?" Emma whispered. Her voice grew stronger, "What is wrong with all of you?!"

No one reacted to her outburst, not even the sheriff. The townsfolk went about their days, their eyes seeing right through Emma whenever they turned in her direction, as if she were a ghost. The sheriff continued on his unrelenting march to the squad car, his long strides forcing Emma to move quickly or risk tripping. She pleaded with him to slow down but he didn't listen.

Maybe.

"Hey, you piece of shit, didn't anyone ever tell to be gentle with pregnant women? Or do you just like being a fucking asshole?" Emma screeched. No reaction. Despite her fear, she got a sick thrill out of swearing at a police officer and getting away with it. She want to laugh. She wanted to vomit.

The sheriff stuffed her into the backseat of the squad car and began driving. With another wave of nausea, Emma considered the possibility that he might just take her into the woods and kill her. How did she know he was real cop anyway? Her arms burned from the strain of being forced behind her back for so long. She looked down at her abdomen. 'I'm sorry I couldn't keep you safe,' she thought to her baby. 'I'm sorry I fucked up."

The car stopped. Emma spared a glanced out the window, dumbstruck by the fact that they were outside a hospital, not a police station. The sheriff forced her out of the car, ignoring her wince of pain as the handcuffs bruised her wrists. Inside even more people wandered around with faces empty of all expression. A redheaded woman in a white physician coat approached them, flanked by two nurses, one of whom came with a wheelchair.

"I'm not sick," Emma insisted as the sheriff undid her handcuffs. The instant she was free, she turned toward the door and began running. Nothing stood between her and the front door.

The sheriff grabbed her just as she made to the sliding double doors of the hospital and wrestled her into the wheelchair. He used the handcuff to attach her to the wheelchair. A nurse plunged a needle into her free wrist and Emma knew it was sedative.

She blinked, and the next thing she knew she was lying on a hospital bed with the mayor was standing over her and listening to the doctor as she drone on about pregnancy and childbirth. Emma couldn't move, couldn't speak.

"But is she far enough along to induce?" the mayor asked impatiently. "I want to get that baby and get rid of her as soon as possible."

Panic stabbed Emma in the chest, sharper and harsher than anything she had ever felt. She opened her mouth to scream, but her jaw remained frozen. She tried to get and run, to fight her way out, but the most she could go was twitched her fingers. She could barely open her eyes. Whatever the nurse gave her must have been strong.

"I think she might be waking up," the doctor noted.

"Forget about her," the mayor snapped. "How soon can I get the baby?"

"I'd say she's about eight months along, but it could be less. The baby has a good chance of survival if we operate now, but preterm birth comes with a risk of lifelong complications. It would be best for the child if we let the mom-"

"Birth mother."

"-birth mother carry to term and delivery naturally."

Emma fought the heavy weight of the sedative. Her eyes opened, and she flinched as the harsh fluorescent light entered them. No. No. "No," she moaned. "You can't do that."

The mayor regarded her coldly. It wasn't a glare, per se, it held no anger; just a look of total indifference, as Emma was just a piece of litter she had noticed on the sidewalk. Emma noted that, unlike everyone else in town, the mayor's eyes did not have that haunting, glassy look. They were sharp and focused. Awake.

"You can't do this," Emma croaked as the sedative began releasing her from its grip.

The mayor smirked, "I can go whatever I damn well please."

"I'd rather die than let you have my baby," Emma swore.

"That can be arranged," the mayor replied. Something in Emma told her this woman was entirely serious. "How far along are you?"

"Go fuck yourself."

"Nobody teaches kids these days any manners," she grumbled. The mayor crossed the room, her heels clicking against the linoleum floor as loudly as they had in the inn. She slapped Emma hard against the right cheek. "How far along?" she repeated slowly.

Emma took a second to collect herself. "I'm at 28 weeks," she lied. More like 35.

"Ugh great," the mayor groused, as if this who situation were so inconvenient for her. She placed a hand on Emma's bump, which made Emma feel nauseous again. "Pretty big for 30 weeks, though."

"It's a big baby," Emma responded without emotion.

* * *

Emma woke up in a cold sweat. Her breath came out in shallow pants and her hands shook. She rose from the couch and went to the kitchen to splash her face with cold water in the sink. The same nightmare haunted her every night, and each time it became more vivid, more real, like something she had actually lived through. She dreaded going to bed; sometimes she feared she would open her eyes in the morning and discovered that the nightmare had followed her to the waking world.

Silence entombed to the apartment, broken up only by the steady drip of water from the faucet. Emma didn't check the time, but from the deep violet of the sky outside the window, she guessed it was a few hours before dawn. Mary dozed peaceful in her alcove, the twins rested in the upstairs loft, and Emma sink to the kitchen floor covering her mouth with her hands so her sobs wouldn't wake them up.

* * *

A pair of orderlies uncuffed Emma from the bed and led her to cell in what appeared to be an old-fashioned asylum in the hospital's basement. She had taken the wrong turn and landed in a horror movie. A nurse brought her three meals a day, along with prenatal vitamins during lunch and dinner. Twice a week she was brought upstairs for a physical evaluation. Each time attempted to escape. Each time she was brought back to her cell and shackled to the bed for a full 24 hours.

During her misadventures in the upstairs hospital, she took note of a few regular faces. A young woman, a schoolteacher, with short white-blonde hair who volunteered and occasionally brought her students with her. A man in a coma who never had any visitors. The mayor came everyday to see how the baby was doing, and Emma dreaded that part of the day. Days became weeks, and Emma felt her chances of escape slip away like sand through her fingers with each she spent in this godforsaken hospital. She'd give birth eventually and what could she do to protect her child then?

Emma noticed that as time went on the dead, glassy look seemed to fade from people's eyes and they became more animated. Less like zombie-like and more human. The nurse who brought her meals and meds started asking her about her day and looked a little remorseful whenever she closed the cell door. The patients said hello to her in the morning, waved to her when she was allowed in the hallway, and asked how she was feeling. It felt as though winter had begun yielding to spring.

One morning, as Emma sat on her bunk waiting for breakfast and thinking of a new route of escape, the mayor threw the door.

"I'm done waiting," she growled.

The doctor looked at Emma apprehensively, then looked to the mayor, "Don't you think we should put off inducing her? It's not medically necessary."

"No," the mayor said. She wore the rage-and-distress expression Emma remembered from the first time they met. "She's ruining everything! She's the reason the town is going to hell."

"I had no idea I was so influential," Emma tried to keep her voice light, but she felt dizzy with fear. Her time was up.

A flood of warm liquid burst from between her legs, utterly soiling her hospital-issued underwear and sweatpants. If she hadn't been so sure her water had been broken, and that she had completely missed her chance to escape, Emma would have been embarrassed.

The mayor smiled in triumph, "I guess you've got a baby to delivery."

The nurses placed Emma in a wheelchair and brought her to the maternity ward. At the mayor's order, they chained her to the bed by her ankles. Her contractions came and went, each one knocking the wind completely out of her. The ordeal stretched for the rest of the day and into the night. Emma received no sleep, no food, and no comfort. Despite her resentment and disgust toward Neal for abandoning her, Emma wished he were there. She wanted someone she knew holding her hand, not the nurse who had helped imprison her for a month.

The mayor stayed through the who delivery watching Emma like a vulture circling overhead. Emma felt even smaller and more vulnerable under this woman's gaze.

"Its crowning!" the doctor announced as Emma pushed the baby out of her.

"Cover her face, I don't want her looking at my child," the mayor ordered the nurses. The nurses stood frozen.

"Lady, you're fucking evil," Emma snarled.

A shadow passed over the mayor's face. "Do it or I'll make sure you live to regret it." The nurses flinched, but they followed her orders. One of the muttered an indistinct apology as she placed a white cotton cloth over Emma's face.

"It's best not to get attached; you both need a clean break," the mayor told Emma. "You didn't seriously think you could be a mother? You're practically a child yourself."

"That's not for you to decide!" Emma snapped. She roared in pain as she pushed for a final time.

The first, high, beautiful cry of her newborn baby filled Emma's heart with so much joy, love, horror, and pain that she couldn't think straight. She wanted her child, the ache of his absence was almost physical. The sound of his cry grew fainter with clinking the mayor's high heels.

* * *

The porcelain teacup fell from Priscilla's grasp and shattered on the floor, splashing tea on the expensive rug. Memories of her life - her _real_ life, not the farce the Evil Queen had forced onto her - came back to her pain abruptness. Her hat, her imprisonment in Wonderland, her little girl. Grace. Her sweet, beautiful Grace wasn't part of her life in this realm.

Priscilla grabbed a coat and ran out the front door of the mansion. She reluctantly got into the car; the curse had given the ability to drive, but her instincts told her not the trust the metal, horseless carriage. It was the fastest way to time, Priscilla grit her teeth and went on her way. She drove straight to the elementary school.

"I need to see my daughter Grace," she told the receptionist in a hurried tone. "Where is she?"

The receptionist glanced through the school records for a moment and answered, "I'm sorry, but there's no record of a Grace Jefferson at this school."

"There must be. I've seen her get off the bus, she has the uniform, she goes her."

The receptionist's face took on an odd expression. "When did you enroll your daughter here?"

"I didn't enroll her, she's here because of the Evil Queen's curse," Priscilla answered impatiently. "I need to find her so I can take us back to the Enchanted Forest."

"Ma'am-" the receptionist didn't know how to respond.

"Get out of my way!" Priscilla scoffed. She walked passed the front desk and began running through the halls, searching each classroom for her daughter.

* * *

"Swan, you okay?"

Emma jerked up. Her heart stammered with surprise and, when she realized Killian was standing over her, embarrassment. She was at Granny's Diner; she must fallen asleep at the table drinking her hot chocolate. The right of her face felt cool and numb.

"Killian, hi!" she greeted him with as much fake cheer as she could manage.

"Have you been feeling alright?" Killian asked as he took a seat across from her.

"A little tired," she shrugged in what she hoped seemed like a nonchalant gesture. "But I'm fine."

He licked his upper lip in a way that Emma squirmed, but she doubted he was aware of the effect her had on her. He leaned closer to her, his voice low, "Okay, I'll be honest. You looked a trainwreck; a very cute trainwreck, but nonetheless you can't blame me for wanting to really know what's going on."

She hadn't told anyone about the nightmares; she wasn't used to sharing her problems with others if it was avoidable, much less expecting to receive help. The earnest concern in Killian's brown eyes drilled holes in a wall that was already crumbling under the weight of her exhaustion.

"I've been having nightmares," she admitted hoarsely. "About getting kidnapped, and losing a baby. It was so...terrifying...and it feel so real...it actually happened to me."

"Have you talked to Dr. Hopper about it?"

"No," Emma admitted. Her eyes fell to Killian's hands, long and dexterous and callous. Her cheeks flushed with the realization that she wanted to hold Killian's hand. "Maybe I should."

"It certainly can't hurt," Killian smiled. Emma found herself returning it.

* * *

Regina watched the sleeping form of Priscilla Jefferson, still and prone on the small prison cot. She had been arrested earlier that day for causing a ruckus the school, screaming about some missing daughter. Security had apprehended her trying to force a girl named Paige Lewis to come home with, and she had been charged with trespassing and attempted kidnapping.

Since that pregnant teenager had come to town, the magic had been weakening. No one had fully woken up, but they inched closer to their true personalities each day that brat remained in her town. She could have gotten rid her that first morning when she saw the unfamiliar yellow bug in Granny's parking lot. She hadn't been able to comprehend how a stranger managed to enter the town; she still didn't. But when she saw the baby bump, she felt the first stirrings of hope in her chest in a long time.

A baby. She'd never had a chance to mother Alexander before her mother had him taken away, and he had died hating her. Snow and Red had firmly rejected her, go to war with her, and tried to kill her. Often time she wondered if her bloodline was cursed: Cora hated her father, Regina hated Cora, and all her children hated her. The child this stranger carried could be her true second chance, a clear slate, the family she'd always wanted.

Henry was her miracle. Regina truly believed that, for once, the universe had cut her some slack and brought Emma to Storybrooke so Regina could have her son. She had fought to have him and she'd never let anything take him away.

A clause in the curse forbade her from taking a life, but that wasn't necessary. She hadn't used magic since casting the curse, but one never forgot magic. She crafted a complex but effective memory curse for Emma Swan. She'd get in her car, drive somewhere far away, and mourn the baby she thought had been stillborn. At first, Regina had considering making Emma think she had given her baby up for adoption, but she decided it was better not to risk Emma seeking a reunion in 18 years. And when Henry grew up, she'd simply tell him that his birth mother had left him for dead. He'd be grateful to her for rescuing him and want nothing to do with the woman who had carried him.

It seemed like the perfect plan. Until she realized that she'd had weakened by curse by doing magic. Emma Swan might not have her memories, but Priscilla of Wonderland did. And that was a problem.


	23. In the Darkness

Adam made a habit of closing the curtains of his room in the late afternoon, or else he would torture himself waiting for the sun to dip beneath the horizon. Those first years after the curse had been cast, he would stand at the window, hands clenched against the windowsill, waiting to regain his human form for the night. The relief of being human again shattered at daybreak, when the sun had fully risen and he was once more trapped in the form of a hideous beast. Perhaps the curse would have been easier to bare if Fiona had turned into a regular animal, like a lion or ox, but he had no name for what she had turned him into.

Over the years he had grown use to his inhuman form and the transitions that occurred twice a day - and that was terrifying in its own way. He had his books, he had Tiger Lily, even his mother still sent the occasional letter, but his life had become a monotonous cycle of dreading his nightly transformation; occasionally broken up by wayward travelers who wandered into the castle and became entangled in the curse.

When that girl, the merchant's daughter, took her father as part of the curse, something changed. She didn't go mad from the isolation, for one, and she had an unusually strong interest in him. No one else had made any effort to get to know him; he couldn't even remember the last time someone had asked for his name. Still, he didn't allow himself to indulge in the fantasy that she could become something even resembling a friend. She persisted, nonetheless, in her quest to tease out some sort of comradeship between them. Despite his best efforts and all the intelligence he'd been gifted with, a certain fondness for her had crept up on him.

He hadn't even noticed until the morning she found him in the library asleep in his chair with an ancient astrology tome open in his lap. Before he realized he was now in his beast form, he had panicking thinking Fiona could now get what she wanted from him. Never before had the sight of his hairy paws and hideous, black claws brought him so much relief. Belle remain firmly outside Fiona's grasp, for now. How odd, he had thought as her warm, brown eyes took into his monstrous figure without fear or judgement. Somehow she had gone from the merchant's daughter, to Mlle. Maurice, to Rosalie, to Belle. His feelings for surprised him, as if he'd failed a notice a knife lodged six inches deep into his chest.

Like a fool, he gave her his name. She asked her his story, and he gave her that as well. If he didn't know better, he would have thought she cast a spell on him. All those months of avoiding her and feigning aloofness blew away like smoke. He couldn't deny her anything. She listened without interrupting, concern overshadowing her every expression. When he had finished his tale, she rose from her seat and wrapped her thin, frail arms around his heavy shoulders. He leaned into her touch, the first hug he had received in years.

* * *

Emma found Killian standing outside Dr. Hopper's office with a takeout bag from Granny's after she had finished her first session.

"Graham mentioned that you didn't have a chance to eat dinner between your shift and your first meeting with Dr. Hopper," he explained.

"Thanks," Emma smiled. His fingers brushed hers for a moment as she took the bag from him, and she wished for another excuse to touch him.

"How do you think it went?" he asked as he walked her to her car.

"Definitely better than the last time I saw a therapist," Emma snorted. She immediately regretted it when she saw the surprise coloring Killian's face. She explained, lamely, "When I was in the system, I got labelled "emotionally disturbed", so I sometimes had to attend court-mandated therapy. Other times they tossed me in a psychiatric ward because there weren't enough foster homes and they needed somewhere to put me. That was over ten years, though."

"And it didn't do you much good?"

Emma winced, "I think it may have made things worse. I mean, I have nothing therapy, obviously, but none of the therapists I saw as a child seemed to really care about much I was hurting inside. Their only was concern was training me to behave how my social workers and foster parents wanted me to, to get me to stop being a 'problem child'."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Killian replied sincerely. By now they had reached Emma's car, but neither wanted her to leave just yet. "I... I think I have an idea where you're coming from. When I was a lad, my mother lost her job and it completely devastated her. She left home to find work elsewhere, leaving me with my pa - my stepfather, technically, but I always thought of him as my pa. It was a tough transition, and I became quite the terror. My stepfather didn't care that I missed my mum, he just saw me a nuisance. He - before all that, he was a great father, let me tell you - but after all that it was like he became a different person. He couldn't stand the sight of me or my brother. After a while, I started blaming myself for how he treated us. It took years for me to realize he should have loved us regardless."

"Oh, Killian, I'm sorry that happened to you," Emma said softly. "You and your brother didn't deserve that."

"I know that now, but when your young, it can hard to tell when people aren't treating you the way they should."

Emma smiled sadly, "Yeah, that's exactly it. I just to be so desperate to have a family, I thought maybe I was doing something wrong, that's why I never got adopted. Turns out the system just fucking sucks." She paused, biting her lip. "I'm glad I have you, Killian."

"I'm glad to have you to Emma," he replied, sincerity radiating around him like a halo. If Emma was the slightest bit bolder, she would have kissed him.

But she wasn't, so she didn't. "I should get going. I need to help my kids their homework."

"Right," Killian nodded. She could almost feel his disappointment.

"Emma Swan? Emma Swan!" a thin, weak voice echoed through the empty parking lot.

Emma and Killian turned to see a slender figure limping toward them. As the person moved under a streetlamp, the light revealed the haggard, tired face of a young woman. Icy blue eyes stared out at them above a red silk scarf that had once been beautiful.

"P-Priscilla?" Emma froze in disbelief. As she kept limping, Priscilla nearly slipped on a patch of ice. Emma shook herself out of her shock and rushed to her side; Killian came close behind. "You're still alive?"

"I sure hope so," Priscilla slurred. Her tone suggested she was being sincere. "I've had a...a..." She collapsed in Emma's arms.

In an instant, Killian had his phone out and dialed emergency services. As he called for an ambulance, Emma tried to keep Priscilla awake. "What happened to you? Who did this?" Emma asked. She shook Priscilla slightly in an effort to keep her awake.

"I don't know," Priscilla answered with a labored breath, her eyelids drooping. "It was so dark, I never saw who took..."

"Hey, hey, stay awake now." Emma begged.

Killian got off the phone and knelt beside them, taking off his jacket to wrap around Priscilla. "You're gonna be alright, love. Just stay awake 'till the ambulance gets here."

* * *

Emma stepped off the ambulance and watched as the medical staff carry Priscilla into triage on a stretcher. She had already given the EMTs what little she knew of Priscilla's condition, but she wanted to stay by her side. When Emma had crashed her car her first night in Storybrooke, Priscilla had done that for her, and now she could return the favor.

"Do you know anyone we should call?" Nurse Rojas asked Emma as Dr. Whale performed a physical examination of Priscilla. "There's no next of kin or emergency contact listed."

"Apart from Sheriff Graham, no. We checked her background after she went missing: she didn't have any living family and no friends that we know of," Emma replied sadly. She felt uncomfortable about how well that described her before she came to Storybrooke.

"I'll call the mayor. She's the default emergency contact in these cases."

"She is?" Emma narrowed her eyes. "When I first came to Storybrooke, I got in an accident and no one knew who I was, but no one called Regina to check on me."

Nurse Rojas shrugged, "Its a new policy. She thought it was for the best."

A faint alarm went off in Emma's head. Regina's every move made her skin crawl.

Emma took out her phone and called Mary, getting her on the four ring. "Hey, I'm at the hospital - I'm okay - I just wanted to let you know I can't make it home tonight."

"What on Earth happened?" Mary asked. The television played the nightly news in the background; Priscilla's miraculous return hadn't been broadcast yet. "Is someone hurt?"

"I found Priscilla Jefferson; or, more accurately, she found me. I need to stay in the hospital until she wakes up. Do you mind putting the kids to bed? I promise, I'll owe you a favor."

Mary scoffed, "Emma, don't be silly. They're practically my kids too. I can't believe she's actually alive."

"Yeah, me neither. I don't understand what's going on but I'm gonna get to the bottom of it."

"Okay, just promise me you'll get some rest," Mary insisted. "You've working hard since morning and I know you haven't been sleeping well lately."

Emma bit her lip. She had assumed no one noticed. "I will, promise. Tell Ava and Nicky goodnight for me."

"I will. Bye Emma."

"Bye."

Killian arrived at the station not long afterwards, carrying the now-cold takeout. Only then did Emma notice how hungry she was.

"How's she doing?" he asked.

"Stable, according to Dr. Whale," Emma answered with a nervous glance to the door of Priscilla's hospital room. "But we're still waiting for for some test results. She just fell asleep."

"Good. I don't suppose there's a microwave somewhere in this hospital," Killian said, awkwardly holding up the bag of takeout. Emma's stomach growled fiercely as the scent of onion rings hit her nostril.

"There's one in the cafeteria. I could take you there," a passing nurse offered. Emma and Killian accepted.

Ten minutes later, they sat at one of the small plastic tables in the hospital cafeteria, Emma wolfing down her re-headed burger and onion rings and Killian idling his way through a bag of chips he'd gotten from the vending machine. Dr. West sat on the other end of the cafeteria with a bowl of stew and a large cup of coffee making polite conversation with a family sitting one table over. Otherwise the cafeteria was an empty shell of grey tiles and dim florescent lighting. Huge window opened to a small side garden, but night had fallen so dark that they resembled black walls.

"I can't wrap my mind around it," Emma finally said, breaking through the silence. "There was a human heart in the woods, with her DNA; how can she possibly still be alive? The only explanation I can think of it that the heart belong to someone else, but Priscilla's DNA somehow got on it. But that would be someone else was killed and there have been no other missing person cases or mysterious murders in months."

"I've been thinking," Killian began. He paused and licked his lips. "There's a lot about Storybrooke that isn't normal, I'm sure you've noticed by now. Have you considered that it could be explained, but understanding would take a great leap of faith?"

"What are you saying?" Emma asked after wiping the grease from her mouth with a napkin.

"I believe Henry's right about this town being cursed," Killian signed. "Actually, I'm certain of it."

Emma laughed, "Thanks, I needed something to lighten the moon. That's evening just been a lot of handle."

Killian's expression didn't change. "I'm perfectly serious. Remember when I told you I was from New York? That wasn't entirely true. I've been living in the New York since I woke up somewhere on the streets of Brooklyn, not knowing how I got there. I was born and raised in another realm called the Enchanted Forest. The same Enchanted Forest in Henry's book."

"Okay, its not funny anymore."

"Like I said, I'm not trying to be funny."

Emma leaned away from him, shoulders square and mouth set in an apprehensive frown.

"The job my mother lost? She was a warlock in service to one of the royal families of the Enchanted Forest," Killian went on. "When she was exiled, she had to be become a witch instead. Neither my brother or I inherited any of her magical abilities, but we admired her for what she could do. But when things starting going downhill-" He stopped and stared hard at Emma. Something like comprehension appeared on his face. "How long have you said you've been having these nightmares? There might be a magic cause."

"What is your problem?" Emma interrupted. "You can't honestly expect me to believe any of this."

"I am being as honest with you as I've been in a very, very long time."

"Why?" Emma challenged, "Why be honest with me of all people?"

He pinned her in place with a look that begged for understanding, fear and hope swimming in his deep, brown eyes. "Emma, I-"

"Emma?" Graham burst in the doors of the cafeteria. "The nurse mentioned you'd be here."

Killian looked away.

"Hey," Emma stood up, tearing her eyes to her boss. "Took you long enough to get here."

"I was on patrol," Graham shrugged. "I'm gonna take your statement for the official record." He looked at Killian. "Is he a witness too?"

"Yes," Killian replied tartly before Emma could respond.

Graham raised an eyebrow at Killian's tone, but all he said was "Alright. Let's get started."

* * *

A bubbly sensation tickled her stomach as Belle placed heavy curtains over the windows of her room. The dying light of the setting sun vanished behind the velvet, leaving on a single candle to brighten the room. She took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself, but she could help the wave of excitement and nervousness that overtook her. Garbed in a simple blue dress, she sat on one of the overstuffed chairs in her sitting room, feet curled under her, waiting for Adam's arrival.

As the sun set further and the room became a deeper shade of black, Belle worried that he had changed his mind. Maybe he was playing some kind of trick on her, maybe he was toying with her. He must have grown profoundly bored in his years alone in this mansion and perhaps he thought it would be amusing to-

A knock on the door dispelled Belle's worries. Her mood lightened and she blew out the candle with the quick huff. "Coming!" she called, as she walked to the door and closed her eyes. Her hand shook as she turned the knob. She had never had a man in her private chambers before whom she was not related to, but she trusted Adam. She wanted... she couldn't quite say what she wanted.

"Belle, it's me," he said, his voice entirely familiar.

She couldn't see his face, that was vitally important, but she could touch him. She held out a shaky hand to him. He took it; no fur, no claws, just soft, warm human skin. It felt strangely unnatural; in her mind's eye he was still a beast. Belle clasped the offered hand with both of her own, examining it with her fingertips.

"Is my hand really that interesting?" Adam joked.

"Everything about you is interesting," Belle replied quietly. He had no reply. She pulled him inside and he closed the door behind them. "Does it hurt when you change?"

"Not physically," he muttered.

"What she did to you is inexcusable."

"I don't want to talk about Fiona right now."

"Alright," Belle nodded. She took both his hands in hers, then releases them so she could touch his wrists, his arms, his shoulders. "You're shorter now!"

"You didn't really think I saw eight feet tall, did you?" Adam teased.

She run her hands down his chest, marveling at the beat of his heart through his shirt. "You can touch me too, if you want." His sharp intake of breath made her skin sizzle.

"I don't think that would be appropriate. Tiger Lily raised to keep my hands to myself."

Belle tilted her head, not sure he could see her in the darkness as she could not see him. "Are you suggesting my father didn't raise me right?"

"Oh course, I just-"

"I'm teasing," Belle giggled. "I want you to touch, but you don't have to if you don't want to."

She reached up and traced the curve of his jaw, a faint layer of stubble brushing the back of her hand. She moved higher, moving her fingertips along the lines of his face, trying to imagine how his human faced. She quite liked his nose and the set of his cheekbones, but she couldn't put them together. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No," he whispered.

Belle twirled her finger around the outer edge of his ear and playfully tugged on the lobe. She let her hand fall to his neck and dance along his pulse until it reached his collar. To her surprise, a large hand landed on her hip. She gasped.

Adam dropped his hand immediately, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I liked it." Belle responded. He was just as nervous as her, Belle realized, if not more so.

He placed his hand back on her hip, then higher on her waist. His other hand touch down the side of her face, the back brushing against her hair, before resting just under her jaw. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Being my friend. Being so patient with me. I never I'd have someone like you in my life." Adam leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

* * *

"Where am I?"

Emma's head snapped up from her third cup of coffee. She had tried sleeping, but between the uncomfortable metal chair and the nightmares, she had only managed to catch of few snippets of rest. "Priscilla? You're in the hospital."

Emma set her cup down and stood over Priscilla, who lay on the hospital bed with her eyes closed. Her chest moved up and down in a slow, steady rhythm. According to while, she was fine apart from minor injuries: a few scratches, a bruise on her forehead, and some rope burns on her wrists and ankles. She had been kidnapped, not murdered. But someone had.

"You brought me here."

"Me and Killian."

"Who?"

"Ah, right," Emma mentally kicked herself. "He showed up in town not long after you disappeared."

Priscilla slowly opened her eyes, the bright blue startling against her dark skin. "A newcomer, like you? How did he get past the curse."

"There's no curse," Emma snapped. In a soften tone, she continued. "He rode in a motorcycle, like a normal person. Which he is, completely normal and non-magical."

"How do you keep doing that? Don't you get tired?"

"Doing what?"

Priscilla blinked slowly, "Lie to yourself. Refuse to see what's right in front of you."

"You're on a lot of meds right now," Emma smiled tightly. "Maybe in a little while, you'll be more clearheaded."

"Cut the bullshit, Swan." Priscilla laughed bitterly. She looked frail under the hospital blankets, skeletal after her ordeal and covered in bandaged, but she had an underlying strength that was impossible to miss. "How can you still not believe, after all this time. You know its real, you just don't want to admit it. Why? What are you afraid of?"


	24. Returning

Killian stood at the stern of the ship watching as the coastline inched father, the bright white-orange lights of the city twinkling above the black water. Beside him Liam studied the night sky trying to make out the constellations. Around him, the sailors joked with each other as they worked, their deep, gravely laughs bouncing around the deck. Below, the rippling waves hummed as the boat sliced through the sea. Most of the other passengers had gone downstairs, so Killian had no company on deck but for his older brother and the crew. Their parents had argued as they were boarding and gone their separate ways when the ship left port. Liam and Killian hated dealing with their parents after an argument, so they avoided going to their cabins for as long as they could.

As he watched, Killian noticed a shape cut through the moonlight that danced on top of the water. He stared intently, hoping it was some huge fish, or maybe even a shark. He tried to follow its path in the water, but even with the full moon the creature was hard to make out. At one point it dipped so far into the water that it vanished from Killian's sight altogether. But to his excitement, it rose again, then finally poked its head above the surface.

Her head, actually. A girl, about his age, stared back at him with large, shiny eyes. Ribbons of damp, ruby red hair streamed down her brown face and shoulders. Her lips curled into a smile, she gave a brief waves, then she retreated back into the black sea.

"Wait, don't go!" Killian cried.

Liam looked down from the sky, "Who are you talking?"

"There was a girl in the water," Killian told him. "She was swimming behind the boat and smiled at me."

"No one can survive in water that cold," Liam replied. "You must have been seeing things."

"I wasn't!" Killian insisted.

"Maybe you should head down to bed,"

Killian pouted, "I'm not tired," and turned back to the water to watch for the girl. Liam left him alone and returned to the stars. Only minutes later, the girl poked her head up again, her eyes fixed on Killian's face, a smaller smile on her face. His face broke out in a grin, and he waved vigorously. Her smile grew and she waved back.

"Hey, look, I found the Tree Bears!" Liam nudged Killian. Killian turned his head, following Liam's outstretched finger to the formless, scattered stars shining above. He stared and stared, but he couldn't find whatever Liam was trying to show him. He wanted to look

Footsteps came to them. "I told you they were up here," their father snapped at someone, his words coming out a bit slurred.

The boys turned around to see their parents approaching them, both looking extremely cross. They moved strangely, shuffling and nearly tripping every few steps, his mother moreso than his father. Killian's wrinkled his nose as they got near enough to smell them; something strong, sour, and unpleasant radiated from their clothes and breaths. Delfina looked pale and worn out, Brennan red and fuming.

"We were just looking up at the stars," Liam offered weakly. "It was my idea."

Delfina turned to Brennan and scolded, "I told you to keep an eye on them."

"They're _your_ kids," Brennan shot back, his words slurring together. "Why weren't _you_ watching them."

"Our kids, Brennan; you're still their father."

"We won't do it again," Killian promised.

"Shut up," Brennan yelled. Killian flinched.

"Don't yell at him," Delfina grabbed Brennan by the shoulder, her furious, flashing eyes mere inches from her husband's face. "What's wrong you you?"

Brennan slapped her hand away, almost knocking her over the process, "Don't touch me." He glared at the boys.

"I'm just asking you to be a decent father, like you were before," Delfina stated coolly.

"If you wanted me to be any sort of father, you should have thought of that before you invited the Dark One between your sheets," Brennan hissed.

Killian didn't know what he meant by that, but Liam turned pale, as did Delfina.

"Let's not do this here, not in front of that boys," Delfina pleaded.

Brennan's smile was cold and cruel, "Why not, you don't want them to know their mother's a lying whore?"

"Don't use that kind of language around them."

Liam stood stiff as a stature, but his eyes darted back and forth between his parents and brothers. Killian wondered what a 'whore' was and why that seemed to be a bad thing.

"I made a mistake," Delfina's voice cracked, "But it was to help our family. He got me appointed as warlock to the royal court, I did it for your career, I placed in the king's confidence."

"An appointment that you lost because of your incompetence. Or maybe you want to leave court, and sabotaged yourself. Maybe you wanted to drag me down."

The sound of the waves faded as Delfina and Brennan's argument seemed to swallow the world. The joking and murmuring as the crew seemed silence as well; whether or not they care about the little family conflict, Killian could not tell.

Delfina's face iced over. "Everything I've done, I've done for you. You are my whole life, Brennan. Question everything else, but not that."

"How can I not question it? If you loved me, you wouldn't have tricked me into raising another man's children."

"Liam is yours," Delfina muttered.

"And Killian?"

Delfina did not reply.

"Well?" Brennan screamed, Delfina flinched.

"I don't know," Delfina confessed, sobbing. Tears streaked down either side of her face, "But he's still your son in all the ways that matter. Let's just put it behind us."

Liam squeezed Killian's hand. Killian's head began to spin. He was his father's son, wasn't he? Who else could possibly be his father? Brennan Jones had carried him to a healer when he broke his ankle the first time he tried to ride a horse; and taught him how to properly use a sword; and bragged about him to his fellow sailors at fancy dinners. Wasn't that what made someone a father?

Once, his father had looked at him with a pride and love; but his eyes held nothing but disgust and contempt.

"That's what you always do, Delfina," Brennan growled. "You run from everything difficult, you make excuses; you'd sooner spread you legs for a demonic little imp to get a favor than do any real, hard work! You lie, cheat, and manipulate to get your way, then expect everyone to forgive you."

"What do you want me to do?" Delfina screamed. "What will it take to fix this? I just want my husband back."

"How can you ever expect me to love you when _that_ ," Brennan pointed to Killian, "follows us everywhere, using my name. You let the Dark One's whelp into my home, without knowing what he might become, what kind a creature that demon might spawn."

Killian batted away tears, dampening his eyelashes. His father's words sliced him like razors; he felt abhorrent, like less of a boy and more of an unnamed beast.

"Don't talk about Killian about that!" Liam shouted. He had be so still, so silence, that Killian had forgotten he was there.

Brennan grabbed Liam by the collar and hoisted him outward, "Don't you ever talk back to me, you ill-mannered wretch!" He slammed Liam down onto the hard floor. "Get out of here."

Liam got up, resting more of his weight on his right foot than his left. He looked Brennan straight in the face, chin raised defiantly.

"Maybe I can't hurt enough to make you listen," Brennan slurred; his thick, sour breath made Liam sick. "but I can hurt him." He pointed to Killian.

Killian found himself shaking. Liam's eyes filled with fear. Delfina shook her head, "Just go Liam, before you make things worse."

Liam gave Killian one last, long look, before he bowed his head and limped downstairs to the ship's cabins.

* * *

Emma returned to an empty apartment not long before noon. Too exhausted to take a shower, she brushed her teeth and wiped herself down with a damp towel before she changed into one of Mary's pajama sets and fell asleep in Mary's bed; sure she wouldn't mind too much. Despite the nightmares, Emma's body refused to let her to let her wake up, so she had no choice but to endured them. When the nightmares came, the faces were obscured somehow, blurry but recognizable as human faces; now they were the faces of people Emma knew in Storybrooke; the mayor became Regina, the doctor became Dr. West, the sheriff became Graham.

Emma woke around sunset; Ava and Nicholas sat at the kitchen counter doing their homework in silence while Mary got dinner ready. "Good morning," Emma said automatically, then remembered that it had be almost evening.

Ava and Nicholas got from the seat and raced to hug her. Emma wrapped her arms tight around her kids, ignoring the little prickle of guilt over spending the whole with the unconscious Priscilla instead of coming home to her family.

Her family. No matter how much time she spent with them, Emma still found herself bewildered by the idea that she had a family. Of course, it didn't feel complete without Henry there. He's the one who brought her to Storybrooke in the first place, the one who had encouraged her to have faith that things could get better. Even with the warmth of the twins' bodies pressed against her, she didn't feel complete because Henry wasn't there.

She pictured his book of fairy tales and remembered the insane story Killian told her last night in the hospital.

"Are you okay?" Nicky asked, "Mary said you have a really long day at the station."

"I'm fine," Emma assured him, tucking a strand of his dark hair behind his ear, "I was just a little tired. How was school?"

The twins looked at each other, then Ava said, "Everyone was talking about Miss Jefferson. They say you save her."

"She came up to me in the street while I was on my way home, so Killian and I got her to the hospital. I stayed to make sure she was okay, that's why I didn't make it home until this morning." Emma explained. "I'm sorry if I worried you."

"It's okay," Ava replied brightly, "Mary told us where you were. But we did miss you."

Emma hugged them again, "I missed you too."

* * *

"My horse is gone," James noted.

His voice snapped Zela out of her musing about her newfound freedom. She looked around the empty field. A blanket of ivy now covered the rough granite walls of the towers, climbing nearly up to the balcony, and the once-bountiful grain fields had been left fallow.

James walked over a nearby tree. "I had him tied right here, there's no way he could have gotten loose unless someone had stolen him.

"What do we do know?" Zela asked.

"Walk until we find the nearest village or town. I've got a bit of gold on me, so it won't be too much trouble to buy another horse," James answered. He pauses a moment, as if not sure whether to continue. "We should write to our families. We don't know how long we were in there; they might be looking for us."

"There's still the issue for my hair," Zela noted, holding up a large chuck of the ridiculously long strands. Zela gather all her hair together and held it near waist-length as James cut through it with a dagger. His efforts left her with an uneven cut.

"I'm not much of a barber," James apologized.

Zela shrugged, "I'm just glad to be rid of it."

James and Zela walked for half a day before they came across the first village. A few tendrils of smoke rose from smothering remains of its buildings, but most of the fire had already been put out by rain from the the night before. Zela's stomach lurched at the sight of Bodies lay strewn haphazardly in the streets, surrounded by dried blood. She could not force herself to take a single step within the ruined village.

"What do you think happened?" James asked her, his face tense and fearful.

"I don't know, a battle, maybe?" Zela suggested.

"But there's no war going on right now," James mused. "We should gather whatever supplies we can, before what killed these village comes for us."

Zela cried, "I'm not going in there."

James frowned at her, but instead of scolding here for being scared, he went off on his own to scour for provisions for the rest of their journey. Occasionally James called out for anyone who might remain, but no answer came. Zela suppressed a deep sense of unease as she waited for James to return. Most of the food had been left out to rot, so anything edible they could find had been part of a family's winter stores; meaning whatever had destroyed this village, had done so quickly and unexpectedly.

Saddled on stolen horses, their bags slightly heavier with stolen food to sustain them, the duo continued moving toward James' palace, because it was much closer than Rapunzel's. They passed fields that had been left charred and fallow. Zela's unease worsened, and James did not appear any less troubled.

"I'm sorry," Zela spoke up, "for not helping you in the village."

"You've never seen so much death in your life, have you? Never been to a battlefield?" James guessed. His voice held no judgement.

Zela nodded, "My parents kept me rather sheltered from the world. They expected my brother to rule, so I suppose he had to grow up faster than I did."

James nodded, "My father made sure I knew the world's dangers at an early age. Our kingdom has many enemies."

They continued in silence, passing the scarred landscape as quickly as they were willing to push their horses. When night encroached, they tied up their horses and slept on rough, but warm blankets James had round. To Zela's relief, no bloodstains or ash soiled them, and she could pretend he had bought them from some reputable merchant. The next morning they forced down some salt beef and hardtack with water from a nearby river. She mounted her horse with dread, still sore from yesterday's long ride. Though she felt embarrassed to admit it, Zela was a creature of comfort. Even Gothel's tower had its luxuries. Less than twenty-four hours after her escape, she missed her soft bed and the fresh fruit that always found its way to her table.

This day continued much like the last; passing desolate, empty villages and towns and field; James leading, quiet and thoughtful; Zela squirming uncomfortably in the saddle, since she hadn't ridden a horse since she was a young girl, and certainly never this long.

An hour past noon, the pair came across the first intact town they'd seen since they left the tower. James looked back to smile at Zela, "This is Heath Market, it's the nearest town to my father's palace. We can rest here a while and be there by sundown." Zela shoulder's sagged in relief. Only a bit longer before she saw her parents again.

As they entered Heath Market, the same sense of unease crept up on Zela. Countless soldiers dresses in black armor walked around, bearing a sigil she didn't recognize. Zela rode up to James so they were shoulder-to-shoulder. "Do you have any idea who they serve?" she asked softly.

"That's the emblem of King Leopold," James whispered back to her.

Zela tried to remember the list of monarchs her tutors had insisted she needed to know, but she couldn't recalled anyone by that name. "I'm not familiar with him."

"Leopold III, of the House of Grimhilde, king of Misthaven," James stated. "He's a good friend of my father, and has two daughters near our age, Snow White and Rose Red."

Zela stopped her horse. "What are you talking about?" she asked incredulously, eyes wide with confusion and a gradually building fear. "My parents, King Thaddeus II and Queen Matilda, are the rulers of Misthaven. The Grimhildes are a minor noble family from Silvercliffe."

James stared at her, trying to make sense of what she was saying. "Thaddeus II? Son of George X?" Zela nodded at her father and grandfather's names. "He lived over 200 hundred years ago... You were in a fairy's domain, time must have been distorted."

"That's not possible," Zela shook her head. "I had to have only been there a few months, _at most_."

"Fairies can distort time," James repeated with a note of horror in his voice. "You've been in there for centuries. I could have been in there for centuries."

Tears came to Zela's cheeks against her will, "That can't be it. That would mean..."

"A message from King George, a message from the king!" Someone shouted above the chattered the crowd. Zela and James stopped to listen, and James put up his hood to hide his face. "King George and his most trusted ally Queen Regina of Misthaven have declared that Snow White, former princess of Misthaven, is a murderess and usurper, with no lawful claim to the throne of Misthaven. All dutiful citizen must immediately report any information that may lead to her capture. Failure to do so will be punishable by death. Providing succor to this malefactor or her army of bandits and rebels will be punishable by death. Refusal to serve in the king's army will be punishable by death."

"How long have I been gone?" James muttered to himself.

* * *

Killian remembered his parents, both drunk and emotional, screaming at each other. He didn't remember the crew, if they saw anything or tried to intervene. He remembered feeling small, like a sapling under the cool shade of giant oak tree, unable to catch the sunlight.

"What do you want me to do?" Delfina had screamed. "What will it take to make you forgive me?"

Brennan had pointed his long, cruel finger at Killian, "Get rid of the Dark One's spawn, I can't bear the sight of it."

He didn't know what his mother would have done if she were sober. He liked to think she would have done some different. What she did do, however, never let him sleep at night. She grabbed him with both hands, fingernails cutting into his soft skin, tight despite his attempts to wretch himself free. Delfina hoisted her younger son in the air, over the railing of the ship.

Killian hit the icy water before he realized what had happened, the cold rush of the sea poured into his mouth and nose. It felt like he'd been hit in the back, shoulders, and back of the head with a metal pan. The cold became burning heat, unbearable, unimaginable. He flailed in the water uselessly, his limbs stiff and powerless against the current.

Two arms wrapped around him, and he found himself reaching the surface. Killian sucked in a deep breath of fresh night air, but his whole body was numb and it hurt to breathe. Nonetheless, he couldn't think of anything but getting more sweet air into his lungs. The person who had saved him began swimming away from the ship at impossible speed, too fast for any human. It may have taken minutes, it may have taken hours, but Killian's rescuer eventually managed to dragged him onto a shore, doing their best to inch him away from the waves. The sand was cool, but much warmer than the water.

His senses returned to him as his breathing stabilized, but he was so tired from his ordeal that he quickly fell asleep before taking in his surroundings. He did not dream.

Killian woke to the sound of a girl singing. Even before opening his eyes, something in him told him it was the same girl he had seen from the boat. He forced himself to open his eyes. His entire body aches, but not as badly as it had the night before. The sun had risen, casting a pale yellow halo around the redhead mermaid who had saved him, as she sat on the beach next to him, watching over him.

She stopped singing when she noticed that he was awake, "Oh, thank goodness you're alright. What happened to you last night was terrible."

He didn't trust his voice, so he didn't reply, but gave her a weak smile.

"I don't know how, but I know everything will be okay, eventually. My name is Ariel, what's yours?"


	25. Truth

"Killian," he muttered. The cold water seeped into his clothes each time a wave broke on the shore, and left him shivering. "My name is Killian."

The mermaid, Ariel, looked over her shoulder, out to sea, "You're boat's gone," she said apologetically. "I'm sorry that woman threw you overboard. Did you know her?"

Tears fell uninterrupted from Killian's eyes. "She's my mother," he muttered so low that Ariel almost didn't here him.

Horror crossed her face, "Your... _mother_...did that to you? I don't understand, I thought mothers were suppose to be nice and protect children."

"They're suppose to..." Killian couldn't finish his sentence on account of the sob shaking his small, skinny body.

Ariel crawled closer to him, wrapped her arms around him, and let him cry until the tears had dried from her eyes. Reluctantly, she let him go. "The sun is almost up. You should go find to food and somewhere to stay."

"Can't you come with me?" Killian asked in a small voice, one hand still clutching Ariel's wrist.

"I can't leave the water," Ariel admitted. "And my father will soon worry where I am. But I'll remain close to these waters if you ever need me again."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

* * *

After several more days of traveling, Mulan finally reached the palace of King Stephan and Queen Leah. Princess Aurora sat behind her as they rode the palace. Part of Mulan wished she could turned to look at the lost princess, to see how she would react to returning to the home she didn't remember, but she kept her eyes forward. Despite knowing she had to get her brother out of the queen's custody and find her family, Mulan felt oddly saddened to conclude her journey with Aurora. She had a dry wit that Mulan found appealing and managed to be pleasant company despite her less-than-pleasant circumstances. Plus, she was incredibly beautiful.

As the palace towers appeared over the trees, Mulan heard Aurora sigh. She became acute aware for how close they were sitting, how stiff Aurora had gotten during their long ride. They had set out just before dawn, after stopping in a market town inn for the night, and hadn't stopped since then. Now, for some reason, Mulan wished she had taken her time getting back to the palace. The thought of never seeing Aurora again filled her with unexpected dread.

When they finally reached the gate, Mulan and Aurora waited as a warlock was summoned to ensured they were imposed or carrying dangerous curses. After the inspection they were brought to the king and queen in a private audience chamber, rather than the throne room. The monarchs were seated, but when their eyes landed on Aurora, Queen Leah stood and ran over to her daughter. Aurora flinched away from her, startled at the sudden motion. Queen Leah stopped, obviously hurt.

"Hi," Aurora croaked.

Queen Leah gave her a small, sad smile, "You don't remember me, do you?"

"I'm sorry, I don't," Aurora answered honestly.

King Stephan stood as well and joined his wife in front of the two young women. The monarch had an unreadable expression on his face. He turned to his wife and asked her, "My dear, are you sure this is wise?"

"I know this much be strange for all of us," the queen looked to her husband then to her blood daughter, "but we'll get through this as a family."

Aurora looked uncertain.

Mulan felt incredibly awkward standing there as such an emotional reunion took place. She thought of her family; she was still no closer to discovering what had happened to them since she first set out. It seemed all she found were setback in keeping her brother safe.

She was startled by the someone clapping across the room. The four of them swiveled their head toward the sound, and saw an imp with grey-green scales emerge from the sounds. An alarm bell went off in Mulan's head, and she gripped the pummel of her sword.

The creature waved his hand dismissively, "No need for violence, dearie, I would never lay a hand on the royal family." He turned to the king and queen, "Of course, that doesn't mean I can't hurt them in other ways."

Mulan did not loosen her grip.

"You're not wanted here, Dark One," the queen said defiantly.

The Dark One giggled, "Oh, I'm not wanted anywhere, and yet... Ah, that's beside the point. If you knew me well enough to summon me, your highness, you would know better than to break a deal with me."

"Your terms were outrageous!" Leah snapped. "Twenty-one years without my child? That's too much for anyone to bear."

"Dark One, leave now or I'll set my warlocks on you," Stephan warned. "Do not go after my daughter, or you'll sorely regret it."

The Dark One's unflappable exterior chipped, leaving a cool, deadly serious interior momentarily exposed, "The problem is monarchs is eventually, you start to think you're above the rules."

Stephan's eyes narrowed, "You'll have only one warning..."

"You may not keep your promises," the Dark One interrupted, his voice regaining the theatrically false note of cheer, "but I am a man of my word. Be prepared for me to uphold my end of the bargain." He vanished in a cloud of dark purple smoke.

The four of them stood in stunned silence, until Aurora cried, "What was he talking about? What bargain?"

Stephan and Leah looked at their blood daughter with guilt resting heavily in their expressions.

"What bargain was he talking about?" Aurora repeated in a more demanding tone. "Did it have something to do with me? Its why you sent me away, isn't it?"

Leah clasped Aurora's hands, "My dear, please understand that we never wanted to give you up. We made a deal with the Dark One only because we had no other way to protect you and save our kingdom."

"An evil witch called Maleficent had been terrorizing the common folk for years, and on the day you were born, she placed a curse on you."

"What curse?!" Aurora cried, prying her hands from Leah's grasp.

"It's a type of sleeping curse," Stephan explained. "She declared that when you turned twenty one years old, you would fall into a deep sleep that only the darkest magic could cure. We made a deal with the Dark One to stop Maleficent. As part of that deal, we had to let three faeries raise you without knowledge of your true identity."

"But I couldn't stand being apart from you," Leah cut in, "so I sent Mulan to find you and bring you home."

Aurora's face hardened. "I _was_ home."

Mulan couldn't help but feel sorry for both parties. The king and queen's desire to reunite with their daughter reminded her of her own quest to find her family, but having spent weeks traveling alone with Aurora, she understand the young princess's frustration with being ripped away from the only home and family she had ever known.

"Did my mothers know about this?" Aurora asked.

"Yes," Leah answered.

Aurora's anger turned to dejection and defeat.

* * *

"You don't have anything to say to me? At all?" Kilian's eyes blazed with frustration as he approached Emma in the police station parking lot.

She paused halfway into her car, then got out and planted her feet firmly on the ground. "What I am suppose to say? That I thought you probably one of the few sane people in town, just for to turn around and go on about fairy tales being real?"

"Swan, do you really think I'm insane?"

"Well it's either that or you're an asshole who doesn't know when a joke stops being funny," Emma smiled bitterly. "I need to get back to work, I have patrol duty."

"Swan!"

Emma pulled out of the driveway, leaving Kilian alone in his worry.

* * *

After Ariel had retreated back into the sea, Killian made his way inland, hoping to find a village or town before the day grew too hot. The young boy was hungry, thirsty, and exhausted, but he knew he wouldn't last very long if he stopped to rest, so he kept putting one blistering foot in front of the other. A forest full of tall trees stood ahead of him, and Killian hazarded to guess it would have a stream and some fruit trees to sustain him. He limped into the forest, scanning the trees and ground for anything he could put in his mouth, but all there plants looked foreign and he didn't know what was safe to eat.

When he stumbled upon a wide, unpaved road, Killian's heart leapt. All roads led somewhere other people lived, and those people could help him. Then he realized he had no idea how far he'd have to travel to reach civilization, in either direction; if he chose the wrong way he'd end up walking _away_ from the nearest settlement. He tried to look above the trees to see lingering smoke from nightly fires signaling that people where nearby, but the sky dawned as clear as the sea.

As Killian stood in the middle of the road contemplating his next move, the gallop of horses filled his ears. Two figures on horseback came from the east, and they slowed when they slow the miserable child standing alone. Both were men, and Killian was engrossed by the military uniforms they were. It reminded him of what his father would...what his father...

Tears prickled at the edge of his eyes. He had tried to keep any thought of his family and the horrible betrayed he had just experience out of his mind, to only focus on his own survival. But he couldn't help it. He wanted his mother and father back the way they were before his mother had been exiled from court; kind and loving and playful. He wondered how Liam would react to his disappearance. How would his parents explain where he'd gone? Did they think he was dead?

The feeling of cool silk wiping his face brought Killian out of his stupor. One of the men had knelt down to clear away the tears were falling from his cheeks. "What's the matter lad? Are you lost?"

"Do you know the way to the nearest town?" Killian asked. Between the wobbling his throat from crying and how parched his mouth was, Killian's voice sounded strange and unfamiliar.

"That would be the town near the royal palace. We're on our back from an important mission from the queen," the soldier answered. "Where are you parents?"

"Gone. They're far away."

"And they left you here alone?"

Killian nodded. The men looked appalled.

The second man climbed down from the back of his horse and searched through his pack. He approached Killian and gave him a portion of cheese and salt beef. Killian thanked the man and ate it quickly. The first man handed Killian a skin of water, which he also happily accepted.

"Have you ever been on a ship?" the first man asked.

Killian flinched, remembering the icy grip of the sea when his mother had thrown him over the railing. "Yes. My father was a sailor."

"If you have nowhere else to go, I'm sure we could find a place for you in the navy."

He had nowhere else to go, didn't he? He'd be serving a foreign ruler, possibly fighting against the sailors of his own kingdom if they went to war. But what choice did he have? Killian forced himself to smile, and nodded. "I've always wanted to be a sailor."

* * *

The monarchs set Aurora up in a luxurious room high in one of the palace's towers. Aurora felt so out of place among the splendor and the resentment she felt over her situation only grew. She sat down on one of the overstuffed chair as she tried to make sense of what her blood parents told her. At first she had directed her anger at her blood parents, but now her emotions were a confusing mess.

A curse had been hanging over her head since the day she was born and no one had told her. Her blood parents had traded her for the safety of their kingdom. Her mothers had taken her from her blood parents knowing they had wanted her. And the Dark One was after her because her parents had broken their deal with him.

She felt overwhelmed. She felt tired. She felt trapped.

Aurora rose from her seat and looked out the window. She noticed Mulan walking across one of the inner courtyards. A young boy ran into the warrior's arms, and though Aurora couldn't see the other woman's face, her body language was happier and more relaxed than Aurora had previously seemed. She wished she had something like that.

* * *

Now that Mulan's service to King Stephan and Queen Leah had ended, she and Ah Ping were free to leave. Despite the reunion between the monarchs and the princess had gone badly, Queen Leah had paid Mulan well with both money and supplies. The siblings, dressed in new, study clothes, mounted their horses at before dawn and left through the north gate.

"How are we going to get back home?" Ah Ping asked Mulan as the royal palace disappeared behind them.

"Our best bet in a find a witch or portal jumper to help us get back to our own realm," Mulan answered. "Once we return, we'll report what happened to the emperor. He respects me, and I'm sure he'll be willing to help us found our family and the other villagers."

They kept traveling in silence for a few minutes, until they heard the sound of someone running toward them. Mulan turned her horse around. Despite the fact that this third person were a heavy cloak with a hood overt her face, Mulan recognized her immediately.

"Aurora? What are you doing here?"

The princess lifted her hood, her eyes filled with determination. "I want to go with you."

* * *

Emma pulled up the Jefferson Mansion. She felt so guilty about lying to Killian, but she just had to get away from him for the time being. It was one thing for a lonely ten year old with an over-active imagination to try to convince her that fairy tales were real, but it was completely different story coming from a grown man who seemed perfectly rational. She couldn't figure out what his angle was. Or how it made her feel, considering she had been on the cusp of admitting to herself that she actually liked him romantically.

Priscilla answered the door. Since her discharge she had taken to walking with a cane to cope with the physical trauma. Her stony silences after that first night masked the emotional trauma. Yes, Priscilla went on about the curse too, but she was mentally ill according to everyone in town. In fact, Emma guessed that the so-called curse began with Priscilla and spread to Henry and Killian had co-opted it for whatever reason.

"Hello again Emma," Priscilla sighed.

'Am I annoying her?' Emma worried. She smiled politely, "Hey. I just came to check up on you."

"Of course, please come in."

Priscilla shuffled inside, leaning on her cane, and Emma followed close behind. Priscilla had already set the tea and biscuits in the parlor. Though Emma preferred coffee, she drank it with a look that claimed to love it.

"Have you been taking your medication?" Emma asked, trying to sound casual.

Priscilla took a delicate sip, "I flushed those down the toilet ages ago." At Emma's alarmed look, she laughed and said, "I'm kidding. Of course I'm taking my pills. I'm eccentric, not irresponsible."

"Sorry, I just-"

"'-wanted to make sure your alright. I feel responsible for you Priscilla. And don't worry, Graham are doing out best to catch whoever did this to you,'" Priscilla imitated. "Did I get that right?"

Emma flushed. "Oh. Am I that predicable?"

"Well..." Priscilla shrugged. "I know you didn't come here to talk about the curse, though you certainly should have. I'm not sure how much longer you can go about pretending you can't see what's right in front of you."

"Have you considered that maybe you see things that aren't there?" Emma challenged.

"Everyday for the last ten years." Priscilla replied in a neutral tone, but there was an undercurrent of something sharp and cold. "You look tired."

"I haven't been sleeping well the last few weeks."

"Maybe you're cursed," Priscilla joked. Emma laughed with her, but then Priscilla abruptly became serious. "Of course, I'm such a fool. You're cursed too, actually cursed. It must be a different spell."

"Curses aren't-"

Priscilla waved a hand dismissively. She set down her tea and began pacing. "I can't believe it didn't occur to me before. If you're cursed to believe something that something wasn't true or to hold onto a certain set of beliefs no matter what, it's no wonder you're refusing to believe despite all the clear evidence in front of you. I have to give it up to Regina, that's brilliant. A curse that can't be broken because the curse-breaker is herself cursed; a locked door behind a locked door."

"I don't follow," Emma shook her head, "at all."

Priscilla didn't seem to hear her. "If I can find a way to break your curse, you can break the Evil Queen's curse."

"I am not cursed," Emma insisted. "and neither are you. You're just coming up with increasingly strange theories to explain why the world doesn't work the way you think it should."

"Okay, I won't hold that against you because you're cursed," Priscilla responded diplomatically.

Emma groaned, "You're almost as bad as Killian."

"The newcomer?"

"Yes, though strangely I've know him longer than I've known you."

Priscilla's eyes laser focused on Emma's own, "Does he know about the curse?"

"If by that you mean 'Does he claim there's a curse because he likes messing with me?' then the answer is yes."

"I'll have to talk to him as soon as possible." Priscilla concluded. "Perhaps we should compare notes. He's not from town so he must have some insight that I don't and vice versa."

"I can't see wait to see what you two cook up," Emma said sarcastically.

"You said you haven't been sleeping well, maybe that's connected."

"Of maybe I'm just stressed."

"Did anything unusual happen before this started?"

Emma thought back to days surrounding her first serious nightmare, just to humor her. "No, nothing. Wait, I did have tea with Mr. Gold and he made some vague comments about Regina apparently being evil and a threat to his wife."

Priscilla grinned triumphantly. "Well then, he obviously put something in your tea to curse you. Mystery solved."

"No," Emma raised a finger to pause Priscilla. "If Mr. Gold hates the mayor, why would he curse me to think Regina's curse didn't exist? Wouldn't he want her curse broken? Wouldn't he want me to think she actually is an evil witch and side with him?"

Priscilla's smile fell and she sat back down in her seat. "Those are very good points," she conceded. "But I wouldn't rule out the possibility that he drugged you. I've heard of potions that alter the mind in strange ways, sometimes lasting for years."

"Oh joy," Emma groaned, dreading the prospect of continuous nightmares for the foreseeable future. No, Priscilla had to making that up.

"This meeting has been a lot more productive than I expected," Priscilla noted as she started putting the tea set away. "I'll cross-reference my knowledge with Killian Jones and see what Gold's been up to, while you can try not to fall asleep driving home."

Emma shook her head at the sheer ridiculousness of the conversation she was having, but she figured that was just Priscilla being Priscilla.


	26. A Night at the Rabbit Hole

"Look alive Jones," someone nudged Killian out of his thoughts. He looked around the poke table, the rest of the crew around the poker table looking unexpectedly at him. He peeked at his cards and made a quick move without thinking it through. He saw his friends' lips moving but their jokes and laughter didn't reach his ears. Flashes of Emma's angry face invaded his mind. He missed her, but he didn't want to push her away by pursuing her when she clearly wanted nothing to do with him.

The tap on a cane against the linoleum tiled floor caught his attention. Killian noticed a young woman approaching their table. She leaned heavily on a plain wooden cane, but the lines of her shoulders and stern expression gave her a regal appearance. As she got closer, the light of the overhead fluorescent lamp lit the gentle curves of her face and set her eyes alight with an ice-blue shine.

Teddy addressed her, "Hi. Need something?"

"I need to speak to Mr. Jones," Priscilla Jefferson answered.

"Sure," Killian agreed as she turned her face to him.

"We're kind of in the middle of something," a man from their crew, Tommy, complained.

Killian tossed his cards onto the table, "It's nothing. I'm losing anyway."

He rose from his seat and followed Priscilla to a quieter spot in the bar. Now, just the two of them sitting in a small booth, Killian noticed how exhausted she appeared. She was breathing heavily, like simply walking into the bar had worn her out. Her cane leaned against the wall.

"Have you been feeling alright? I know you're still recovering from you're...ordeal."

"I'm fine, Mr. Jones."

"You can just call me Killian. I was just worried it might be too early for you to be up and about."

A smile glimmered on her dark, full lips. "You're sweet Killian, but you don't have to worry about me. I need to talk to you about Emma. She told me you knew about the curse too."

Her words hit him like a crowbar. "You're awake?" he gasped.

Priscilla nodded, her smile gaining a sad tinge. "Have been for over a decade, and it's been absolute hell." She paused, eyelids fluttering like she was holding back tears. "I don't know how it happened, but one day I had my memories back. I was two people, Priscilla Jefferson the spoiled heiress and the Mad Hatter, and I didn't know who I was. My daughter was gone, and when I tried to find her, I got tossed in jail. And the next morning I woke up back in my bed, like nothing had happened. Like the day had been reset. I lived the same day over and over again for years, and I couldn't make it stop. My daughter had another family and didn't know who I was and there was nothing I could do to get her back. And I-" Her voice cracked. She took several deep breaths to calm herself. "Sorry."

"Don't be. Christ, that sound horrible," Killian muttered, still in awe and trying to process what she had told them. "Do you have any idea who did that you?"

"It was the Evil Queen, Regina," Priscilla answered. "It didn't take long for me to notice that she was the only person in town who had any sort of free will, so I confronted her. But there wasn't anything I could do to stop her. I didn't know the nature of the curse. What about you? How did you keep your memories? How did you manage to leave and come back?"

"I was never in Storybrooke," Killian explained. "I remember when the curse was cast, a huge plume of purple smoke the smothered everything in its path. I think I got knocked out, because the next thing I remember was waking up in the streets on New York City. I know _who_ I is was, but I didn't where I was. And it took a while for to figure out how to survive in this world."

"How did you know to come to Storybrooke?"

"I didn't. I was a drifter, moving from one place to another without rhyme or reason. Before Storybrooke I had been roaming up and down the West Coast for almost a decade, until I decided to move back east." Killian shrugged. "When I realized what this town was, that it connected to magic, I knew I had to stay. You're aware the mayor's boy knows about magic?"

"Of course, he never shuts up about it," Priscilla smiled fondly. "Poor child. To have the Evil Queen for a mother..."

"Did you ever wonder how Henry got a book that had all our stories in it?" Killian pondered. "Who would have written it?"

"I don't think that's very important now. What matters is that we can't break this curse without breaking the curse on Emma."

Killian's eyes widened, "Emma's cursed? How do you know this?"

"I'll admit, it's a possibility, not a certainty," Priscilla conceded. "but I think Emma was placed under a curse that makes her think everything was normal and ignore all evidence to contrary. There are way too many weird things happened here for her to dismiss unless she had no choice but to. She mentioned that she had tea with Mr. Gold a few weeks ago, and I suspected that he might have been the one to curse her."

"Not likely," Killian remarked with a shake of his head. "He's a bloody menace, but he wanted the curse broken. His wife's curse family wants to pull the plug on her and they're taking him to court for power of attorney over her. He needs Emma to break the curse before that happens."

"That's what she told me," Priscilla nodded. "It's more likely that it was the Evil Queen. She wouldn't have to worry about Emma breaking the curse if Emma didn't believe in it."

"That's possible, but when would the Evil Queen have a chance to do that? She and Emma avoid each other like the plague."

"I haven't figured that part out."

* * *

"See you in the morning, dear," Widow Featherson gave Priscilla a gap-toothed smile as put the day's wagers in the younger woman's hand.

Priscilla gave a respectful nod, "Good evening 'till then." Grace gave the wrinkled, steel-haired woman a hug, her arms wrapped tight around thin, bony hips. Window Featherson patted the child on the head before sending her and her mother on their way.

Outside the sky had turned the deep indigo of early evening, with just of sliver of the orange-red sun visible on the horizon. The lampboys moved down the streets, one on each side, setting fire to the streetlamps that lined the town's busiest streets. Priscilla walked slowly because she knew Grace liked to watch the lampboys at their work. Although she had lived in this town for almost five years, Priscilla had never gotten used to the pale pink flames that glowed from the streetlamps. When she had asked, a lampboy explained that the fire burned that color because of a special type of wood used in the lamps, one that with magic properties that let the fire burn even during rain and heavy winds.

They had been walking so slowly, the street were deserted by the time the last lampboy had moved on to a different street. Priscilla tightened her grip on her daughter's hand and began walking faster. Grace huffed, but said nothing and matched her mother's pace. They lived in a small cottage just outside of town, but if they moved quickly, they would still make it before the sunlight had done completely.

Two soldiers came out of an alley and block Priscilla and Grace's path. They were the black and silver armor that marked them as the Evil Queen's men.

Priscilla put herself between the soldiers and daughter, and put on her friendliest smile. "Good evening. My daughter and I were just-"

"Silence," one guard commanded.

Priscilla's heart jumped, startling her. She hoped they didn't notice her hands shaking. She hoped Grace couldn't sense her fear.

"Mad Hatter," a woman's smooth, throaty voice cut through the silence like a knife. "It's such a shame to see such a renown portal jumper reduced to this." The Evil Queen appeared from the shadows with more soldiers behind her. She wore a simple black cloak, pushing the hood from her face as she stepped into the light. Queen Regina of Misthaven was beautiful the way an antique sword was beautiful, sharp and cold and deadly.

Priscilla didn't respond.

"What, no greetings for your old friend.

Priscilla didn't take her eyes from the queen's face, but she could feel Grace staring at her. Judging her, demanding answers. "You looked well. Royalty becomes you."

"It certainly does," Regina smiled, flashing all her straight, white teeth. "And who is this darling little girl behind you? You're daughter?"

"Yes. Her name is Grace."

"Grace," Regina moved closer and leaned forward with her hands on her knees so she was almost on Grace's level, "Your mother were such good friends? Did she ever tell about all the trouble we used to get into?"

"No," Grace whispered fearfully.

Regina straightened herself. "That's unfortunate. I assure you, they're very interesting."

"Is there something you want?" Priscilla snapped.

Regina glared at her, as if debating with herself how to punish her for that outburst. "Yes, in fact there's something I want very much. And you're the only person who had get it for me."

"I don't do that anymore," Priscilla started firmly.

"You do whatever your queen commands of you." Regina challenged.

Priscilla remembered the soldiers, the sharpened swords at their sides. She didn't think for one second that Regina would hesitate the use them. "Can I at least see my daughter safely home first."

Regina's smile returned. "Alright, but only because I like you. Hugo, Patrick, go with them, just to make sure they don't take too long."

Priscilla nodded stiffly. As she and Grace continued through the rose-lit streets, the heavy rhythm of the solider's footsteps behind them rattle Priscilla to the bone. Although she knew the queen needed her, she couldn't shake the fear that these men would raise their swords and kill them where they stood.

Eventually they made it to the building where Priscilla rented a room. Rather than go to her own room, she went to the neighbors. Mr. and Mrs. Upton were a kindly couple in their fifties; so kindly Priscilla often found them suffocating, but there were few people in the world she could trust to care for Grace. When Mrs. Upton opened the door, her eyes opened wide with concern.

"Miss Priscilla, Grace, is everything alright?"

Priscilla nodded, lying, aware of the armed men behind her. "Something had come up and I may be gone for a few days. It' urgent. If it's not bother, could watch mind Grace for me until I return."

"Of course, you know that you and Grace are always welcome in our home."

Priscilla forced herself not to cry. "Thank you." She turned to Grace, looking at her for the first time since the Evil Queen had appeared, and held her daughter's face in her hands. She could see a million questions swirling in the little girl's eyes. "I'm sorry. I love you."

"You'll come back, won't you?" Grace whispered.

"Of course," Priscilla nodded. "I will always fine my way back to you. I just need you to be patient."

Mother and daughter shared a deep hug before Priscilla gave Grace to Mrs. Upton and went with the soldier back to the alley where the Evil Queen waited.

* * *

Emma needed to take the edge off. She had never been in the Rabbit Hole before; normally she got her drinks from Granny's or sipped surprising good vintage wine with Mary after they had put the kids to bed. But right now, at the end of her shift and with the prospect of another night of terrible dreams to endure looming over her, she decided she needed to get smashed and made the impulsive decision to walk into the building.

The smell hit her first. Cigarette smoke, pungent vodka, something vaguely moldy. How did anyone put up with that? The lighting was so dim, she could only see part of the bar at any given time. Somewhere in the back, she heard a few people playing billiards. In another cornered, some sailors were huddled in a circle playing poker. She planted herself at the bar, looking at the selection of liquors before she saw the bartender.

"Nice to meet you too," the bartender joked.

Emma flushed. "Sorry. Hi."

"Hi," the bartender took her rudeness in stride. She was young, perhaps college-aged. Emma couldn't tell her skin tone under the multi-colored lights than lit the bar, but she guessed this girl was African-American from her features. She wore a long, shiny weave in a braid that went down her back. "It's been one of those days, huh?"

"More like one of those months," Emma admitted.

"What can I get you?"

"What tastes the best?"

"You mean the least terrible?" the bartender laughed. "The Looking Glass special."

"Okay, that. I'm Emma, by the way."

"Ivy," she held out her hand for Emma to shake, which she did.

As Emma waited for her drink, she looked around the bar. Even Storybrooke's bars had the well-worn small town feel, with its smudged red walls, odd mix of neon and fluorescent lights, and the way the patrons all interacted with their surroundings with the familiarly of two elderly lovers who'd spent their lives together. She felt exhaustion settle in.

Priscilla's cane jolted her awake. Yes, that was Priscilla's care, Emma concluded after staring at it a moment longer. It was leaning against the side of a booth. Emma couldn't tell who was sitting in it. She was just aware enough of her surroundings to thank Ivy when she came back with her Looking Glass, but Emma kept her focus on the cane and the booth. Since when did Priscilla go to bars? Was she even well enough to leave her house?

To Emma's surprise, Killian came out of the men's room and sat in the booth next to Priscilla. Her heart sank. She knew he often came here with his crew, but the other fishermen were on the other side of the bar. He came here with Priscilla...for a date. Wow, he moved on fast, Emma though bitterly. She stopped herself. She and Killian were never together, at least not in any official sense. When had she even admitted to liking him? It was perfectly fair for him to go on a date with someone else.

"Is there something wrong with it?" Ivy asked, snapping Emma's attention away from the booth.

"What?"

"The drink. You haven't even look at it."

Emma glanced down at the Looking Glass. She could hardly tell what she was seeing because at the forefront of her mind, she imagined Killian put on calloused hand on Priscilla's neck, pulling her closer until their lips. The Looking Glass suddenly smelled foul.

"Get rid of it." Emma stated. "I'm sorry I wasted your time, I'll still pay for it, but coming here was a mistake. I need to get home."

* * *

Dread dogged Priscilla's heels as the soldiers led her back to the queen. The elegant top hat in her hands had never felt heavier than it did at that moment.

"Are you ready?" Regina asked when she saw Priscilla approaching.

No. "Yes."

* * *

Wonderland hadn't changed much at since the last time she'd been there, almost ten years ago. While it was evening in the Enchanted Forest, it was morning in Wonderland. Today the sky was purple; Priscilla liked it best when it was blue, because at least then she could pretend she was in a less horrendous realm. The hat brought them to a field outside the royal palace that belong to the Queen of Hearts. A massive hedge maze loomed before them. Priscilla knew from experience that touching the hedges could spell disaster.

"What are we doing here?" Priscilla dared to ask, now that it was just her and Regina, without the soldiers to threaten her and Grace safely away with the Uptons.

"I told you, something I want to in that palace and I'm going to get it back," Regina shrugged.

"Let me guess, the Queen of Hearts stole it from you?"

"Not the only thing, but certainly the most important."

"What do you want me to do?"

Regina turned to her with a sharp look, "Nothing. Your job was just to get me here. You're to stay here and stay out of my way."

Priscilla smiled sardonically. "You don't have to tell me twice."

Regina's eyes were ice, but she let it go. She had other things to worry about.

As instructed, Priscilla did nothing. She took off her cloak and set in down on the ground so she could sit for a minute. She imagined that Grace was already sleep in bed; she wanted to be there when Grace woke up and take her home. Hopefully Regina would be done with whatever she needed to do soon, so Priscilla could leave. The hat only allowed the same number of people to enter and exit the hat per trip. She couldn't leave without Regina coming back with her.

What did Regina want that the Evil Queen had stolen from her? Jewelry? A family heirloom? A book of a powerful spells?

A chill went down Priscilla's spine as she imagined what Regina could do with such a book. When Rumpelstiltskin had introduced them, all those years ago, Priscilla had been awed that a noblewoman wanted anything to do with her. She had been just a young teenager back then, using the hat she had inherited from her late mother in her petty thefts; a loveless orphan girl just trying to get by. Rumpelstiltskin took an interest in her, and even though his cold, falsely-cheerful eyes perturbed her, he paid well for the goods she retrieved for him, so she kept working for him. Regina, his apprentice, had become something of a friend to her. In those days Regina had been shy, kind, and soft-spoken, but something happened to twist her into the cold bitch was now.

Of course, Priscilla wasn't one to judge.

She didn't know how long it took for Regina to return, but she did eventually return with an ornate, jeweled box in her hands. Priscilla wondered what was in it, but she wasn't sure how Regina would react to her asking to see what was inside, and she knew better than to provoke Regina.

"Are you ready to go?" Priscilla asked.

Regina had a strange look on her face. "I am." She outstretched one hand, and faster than Priscilla had to react, a web of vines shot out from the hedge and grabbed her. They slammed her back, against the hedge, and held her there, immobilized by the vines clinging tight to wrists and ankles. "But I'm afraid you're not doing anywhere."

"What the hell are you doing?" Priscilla cried out. "You know you can't leave without me!"

"Don't take this personally. And don't worry, I won't forget about you."

Priscilla struggled against the vines in a futile attempt to free herself. "You know how the hat works Regina. Two people went in, so two-" The truth dawned on her in that instant and she focused her eyes on the jeweled box. "Two people have to go out."

Regina opened the lid and took a tiny man. She set him on the ground and performed a spell to bring him back to his regular size. Priscilla didn't recognize him, but he looked rather old and was clearly disorientated. "Regina? Honey, what happened? Where are we?"

"I'll explain when we get home, Daddy." Regina said sweetly. She grabbed her father's hand and led him back through the portal, leaving Priscilla alone in the realm she despised most of all.

"Grace," she whispered to herself as tears welled in her eyes.


	27. Fair

Emma tossed her jacket at the couch when she made it through the front door, and when it landed on the coffee table instead, she just stared at it.

"Are you okay?" Mary sat at the kitchen island with a glass of wine and a stack of quizzes that needed to be graded.

"Yeah," Emma shook her head without looking at her friend. "Are the kids sleep already?"

"They're at a friend's house, remember?" Mary set down her red ink pen. "You are definitely not okay. Is the nightmares?"

Emma debated whether or not to tell Mary. On one hand, she didn't want to admit she was falling apart over guy, especially since they had never technically dated; but she knew Mary wouldn't stop hounding her until she opened up. She took the path of least resistance. Emma took a seat next to Mary on the island. "Priscilla is dating Killian."

"You guys broke up?"

" _What_?"

"Come on Emma, you two weren't exactly subtle." Mary replied knowingly.

Emma laughed harshly. "We never dated, Mary. And I'm pretty sure he never felt that way about me."

"But you felt that way about him."

"Trust me, it's a mistake I'm never repeated."

"Emma," Mary said sternly, "Loving Killian wasn't a mistake."

"Are you sure about that?" Emma replied with a edge in her voice, "Because it didn't really do me many good. I was too scared to tell him how I felt, then he pulled that 'magic is real' crap on me, I gave him the cold shoulder, and now he's ditching me for fucking Priscilla. What part of that isn't a mistake?"

"The 'having feelings' part." Mary replied. "You put this big wall between you and everyone else. And while that wall might keep out pain, it also keeps out love."

Emma looked away, "It's doesn't matter now. He was the only guy I liked for years and he's with someone else now." Her cell phone buzzed. "Hold on, it's Graham."

* * *

David downed a glass of scotch as he thought back to his client's arraignment.

Nobody complained about Flora Xue; nobody had a word to say against her. Flora worked long hours at Storybrooke General Hospital as nurse, but still found time to raise her little brother, Conner, who by all accounts was a good kid. She put herself through school after her parents and grandmother had disappeared, donated to charity, and baked cookies for the bimonthly PTA meetings. When a fire destroyed the elderly Mrs. Cohen's apartment, Flora graciously invited the old woman to live her until she could find a new home. The idea that Flora Xue had something to do with Priscilla Jefferson's disappearance just didn't fit.

Yet, for some odd reason, Sheriff Graham arrested her in connection to the crime. For now Conner was staying with a neighbor, Dawn Thorne; unbeknownst to everyone else because to the curse, Dawn and Flora were actually married. As the town's only public defender, the case fell to David. And he could, from the minute he stepped into the police station, that something was wrong. Regina had come down to station, lips quirked in self-satisfied smile as she spoke in hushed tones with Albert Spencer. If she was involved, Flora wasn't getting a fair trial. During the arraignment, the prosecution didn't offer a plea deal, and that's when he knew Flora was the scapegoat. For what, he didn't know, but he had to find out fast.

"Is this seat taken?"

David looked up to see Snow...Mary standing beside him, her eyes friendly but blank.

"Uh, I, yeah, of course," he stuttered, his shoulders involuntarily tensing.

Mary looked apprehensive, "If you don't want me to, that's fine."

"No really, it's no trouble." David lied.

Being around Mary Blanchard was an exercise in self-torment. Had she been a real person and not a construct of the curse, he might be gotten along with her just fine. But this distorted facsimile of his wife made his insides feel hollow whenever he looked at her. Even her physical appearance was off; her skin a washed-out too-pale shade, her hair short and pale blonde.

And for all effort trying to figure out how to break the curse, he had nothing, no way to bring back the love his life. If not true love's kiss, what could save her and their family?

"I get the feeling you don't like me very much," Mary noted, trying to sound nonchalant as the waitress handed her a glass of rum.

"It's not that, I just..." David shrugged. There was no way to explain what he really felt for her. "Is that why you came over?"

"Not exactly," Mary admitted sheepishly. She traced the edge of the rim with her pinkie finger. "Would it count as obstruction if I told you Flora Xue was innocent?"

"No, you'd just be saying what I'm already thinking."

"Good."

David hazarded to look her, "Why? Do you any proof?"

"No, just hope that the trial will go her way. She doesn't deserve any of this," Mary replied, looked back at him. That empty look in her eyes chilled him.

Mary set her glass down forcefully. "Why are you always looking at me like that?" she demanded.

"Like what?"

"Like I just swallowed your pet goldfish right in front of you."

"I have a dog?"

Mary rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean. You always seem so uncomfortable and jumpy whenever I talk to you. Did I say something, do something-"

"No, it's not anything you did," David swore.

"Then what is it?" Mary looked hurt. "I mean, you don't _have_ to like me, that's fine, but I guess I just want to understand, you know?"

"It's not anything you did," David assured her.

"Then what is it?" Mary pushed.

David hesitated, but ultimately decided to tell the truth. Some of the truth. "You remind of someone. I mean you look just like her, it's uncanny. Um, she's...she's not here anymore, so...seeing you reminds me of her, and that hasn't been easy to deal with."

"Oh," Mary looked down, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize..."

"Don't me," David told her. "Like I said, it's nothing you did or said. This is my problem, not yours."

"Still..." Mary took another sip of her drink. She blushed, shy as she asked, "Do you want to talk about her?"

David felt so tempted. The words were on the tip of his tongue, how smart and fierce and loving Snow was. But it didn't feel right. "I...I have to go actually." He downed the rest of his scotch. "I'll see you around." He hated to leave Mary like that, but he had to get out of there.

* * *

Snow woke to suffocating heat of the bear's body. It had been a blistering cold the night when they had first escaped, but in the morning sunlight she felt as though she were about to melt. The teenage princess shimmied away from the huge, hairy creature whom she had dubbed Charming, not even caring about the dried mud that splattered her clothing. Charming woke, his golden eyes following Snow as she stretched her stiff legs and rose to her feet.

"You remember me?" she asked.

Charming nodded. Snow knew Charming wasn't an ordinary bear, but she could only guess what sort of magic had granted him human-level intelligence and the ability to understand human speech.

"Thank you for saving me," Snow said with a sad smile. "I guess that makes us even."

Charming gave a gruff snort and nudged his head against her stomach. Snow stroked the thick fur between his ears.

"Oh no," Snow gasped. "I have nobody to do my hair." She looked down at the filthy clothes and for the first time in downed on her that this was her only dress. She had nothing to change into, nowhere to take a bath, no perfume or anything. "I can't go out looking like this!"

Charming lifted his head from her lap, his expression judgmental.

"Don't give me that!" Snow snapped. "I'm a princess, I deserve better than this."

Charming rolled his eyes. Actually rolled his eyes. Snow was astonished by human he seemed, but mostly just annoyed that he didn't seem to care how horrible this was for her. He was a bear after all, he didn't have to worry about looking presentable.

Snow got up to her feet and did a quick inspection of herself. Her glossy black hair was a tangled mess. Her stocking and hem were so muddy she couldn't remember their original color, and dust coated her skirts and bodice. She even noticed a large tear on the side of her skirt. She didn't know anything about washing or mending clothes, and she had no money to buy news ones. There was nothing she could do but walking about the ruins of her dress. She'd have to work for money is she wanted new clothes. Normally her father could...

No. She couldn't think of her father or surely she would collapse in tears. She couldn't bring him back to life, she just had to focus on what was right in front of her. Her dress. Her dress was ruined and she had do something about it. That's what she had to keep her mind on.

"This is going to harder than I thought," Snow sighed aloud.

Snow and Charming stayed near the roads, but not directly on it. One the huntsman returned to the palace without her heart, Regina would undoubtedly send more men to try to kill her. She felt safer knowing she had a ten foot tall bear to protect her, but Snow knew better than to let her guard down. She hoped that when she found the dwarfs, they lived in a castle underground like in the stories her father used to tell her, surrounded by gleaming jewels and hall gilded in gold. Being on the run didn't agree with the young princess. She had spent her whole life in luxury, the future queen of the kingdom, attended day and night by servants.

At midday, Snow stomach began rumbling. She remembered that she had no food and no money. The forest could probably provide something for her to eat. She turned to the nearest tress and found small, dark berries growing under its broad leaves. Snow picked a few, before she realized she had no idea if it was safe to eat. Charming would probably know, but she felt embarrassed asking him. For the first time in her life, Snow White felt helpless and useless. She'd been given the finest education, in history and mathematics and science and music, but what go was any of that when she had no idea how to take care of herself?

Charming came to her, and sniffed the berries in her hand. With surprising gentleness for such a large, ferocious-looking creature, he gently swept the berries from her hand with a paw.

'Guess those weren't all that good for eating after all,' Snow thought.

Charming walked over to another tree and Snow followed him. It had dark, narrow leaves with soft-looking red fruit hanging from its branches. He placed a heavy paw on its trunk.

"Is this safe to eat?" Snow asked meekly. Charming nodded.

What had happened to her life? She was princess - she should have been queen by now! But instead she was standing in the middle of the forest in a tattered, filthy dress asking a human-like, probably magical bear what tree had fruit that was safe to eat. Charming was her only companion, with her father dead and her own mother accusing her of killing him. Why would her mother even say that? How could anyone believe that? Snow had loved her dearly, everyone knew it! She would never, in a million years hurt him. She didn't deserve this.

Snow collapsed to the ground as the tears began following freely down her face. This whole time she had holding her true feelings inside, focusing on things that didn't really matter, but now the flood of grief and anger and fear washed over her. Charming, alarmed, nudged her cheek with her snout, but Snow swattered him away.

"It's not fair!" she cried, sobs shaking her small body, "It's not fair! I don't do anything wrong! It's not fair!"

* * *

"Conner aren't you hungry?" Dawn asked. It was just the three of them at the table: her, her daughter Pippa, and their guest Conner Xue. Since his older sister's arrest, Conner had been abnormally quiet and gloomy, not that she could blame him. If Flora was convinced of kidnapping Priscilla Jefferson, he will have lost his entire family.

"Not really," he shrugged. His plate was still more than half full, just like last night, and the night before that.

"You have to finish eating," Dawn told him firmly.

"I said I'm not hungry!" Conner snapped. "Don't tell what to do, you're not my mom."

Dawn took a deep breath to calm herself. 'Conner isn't a bad kid,' she told herself, 'he's just doing through a lot.' She replied, "I know I'm not, and I not trying to replace your family. But I _am_ responsible for your well-being and that includes making sure you eat enough."

Conner pushed the plate aside and roughly got up from his seat, "Leave me along!" As he stomped to the guest room, Pippa began crying.

Dawn picked up her daughter and began rocking to try to calm her. She'd just have to let Conner cool down on his own.

* * *

Long after his mother had bid him goodnight, Henry stayed up using a flashlight to study his storybook. Since his mother had gotten stricter and more hostile toward anyone who tried to spent time with him, he hadn't had the chance to make much progress on his efforts to break the curse. He still had yet to find a way to convince Emma that magic was real. It was only by luck she hadn't changed her mind and left Storybrooke by now. Henry and Emma only got to see in each in brief moments when his mother wasn't watching him like a hawk, but those were getting fewer and farther between. Emma was always tired from work and eager to get home, plus she had to take care of Ava and Nicholas.

Henry was still on the fence about how he felt about the twins being Emma's foster children. On one hand, he knew they deserved a home and someone to look after them, especially after what Regina did to their father. But he couldn't shake the envy he felt whenever he saw Emma drop them off at school, fixing their hair and smiling as they waved goodbye to her. Part of him still hadn't given up home that Emma was his birth mother.

He just wished he had a mom who genuinely loved him. He wished he had a mom who didn't lie to him and try to make him feel like he was crazy, who didn't make him a prison in his own home just because she wanted to be the only person he loved.

A stone hit his window. Henry sat up straight in bed. Letting his flashlight hit the ground, Henry jumped over to the window and pulled it open. Conner had somehow managed to sneak into the backyard. He stood outside in a thick winter coat and a scarf, his face pale and serious. Word got out quickly that Conner's older sister, Flora, had been arrested.

Henry opened his bedroom window and carefully climbed down via the nearby tree. He had been practicing this for a while, so he could sneak out to see Emma while his mother though he was asleep. When Henry finally reached the ground, the first thing he did was hug Conner. The other boy wrapped his arms tight around Henry, pressing his face into Henry's shoulder as he began to crying quietly.

They stayed like until Conner collected himself and let go, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your sister," Henry said.

Conner shook his head. "She didn't do it, you know that right? Everyone says she did, but I know Flora. She'd never do something like this."

"I believe you," Henry reassured him. "Actually, I think my mom set her up."

Conner's eyes widened, "Seriously?"

"The same Flora got arrested, my mom looked _really_ smug for some reason, like she just go away with something."

"I didn't get it," Conner tilted his head. "Why would she want to hurt Ms. Jefferson or frame my sister for it?"

"I don't know," Henry admitted, "But I do know my mom is up to no good. She's the Evil Queen, after all."

Conner looked skeptical, "You still believe that fairy tale stuff?"

By now Henry had gotten used to people doubting his theories, so he didn't let it bother him. "Yes. Listen, the sheriff does whatever my mom wants and if my mom wants your sister to go to jail, there's nothing we can do to convince himself other. But Emma hates my mom. If we can help _her_ find proof that your sister is innocent, she'll do everything possible to make sure Flora's name is cleared.

"But how are we gonna do that?" Conner asked.

"I have a plan," Henry smiled.

* * *

AN: This was a lot shorter than I had planned, but I have non-fanfiction related stuff to take care of, either I'll go back to edit this chapter, or I'll include what I meant to have in this chapter in the next one.


	28. Under Moonlight

Flora sat on her cot in the Storybrooke jail, a two-cell structure situated in the bad of the police station. The moon shone bright through one, small window, leaving a streak of silver across the linoleum floor. She watched in mute interest as a fly whizzed around, dipping in and out of the light, occasionally banging itself against a window. Otherwise there was no life in the police station.

She stood up from the stiff cot, with its plain scratching sheets, and rubbed some of the feeling back into her legs. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Hungry?" Emma reach out her hand and thrust a bag of Granny's burger and fries in between the bar of Flora's cell. The look on Flora's face stated that she wasn't in the mood, but didn't want to be rude by turning her down. Flora accepted the meal with a soft, "Thank you."

"I didn't know the Storybrooke PD was this soft on criminals," Regina's sneered from across the room.

Emma turned and glared at her, "People need to eat. What are you doing here, Madam Mayor?"

Regina took a manila envelope from her her briefcase and handed it to Flora. "Regarding custody of your brother, Conner."

The color faded from Flora's face as she read the contents of the envelope. "He's staying with our neighbor, Dawn Thorne."

"I'm afraid that since Ms. Thorne is neither family, nor a certified foster parents, he'll have to go into foster care for the time being."

"In case you've forgotten, the custody placement are the police's responsibility," Emma growled. She met Regina's cold gaze with equal hardness. "Conner will be just fine living with Ms. Thorne."

Regina raised an manicured eyebrow, "Really? You've formally investigated and certified her yourself."

"I interviewed her the night I dropped Conner off at her apartment," Emma answered.

"An interview is not an investigation, Ms. Swan, and in any case, the sheriff is the ultimate authority on such matters, not you." Regina smirked. "Ms. Thorne has no right to keep that child with her, unless you can convince Graham that he's safe with her."

"Is that all?"

Regina cast a sidelong glance at Flora, then Emma. "That's all. Good luck, you know Graham always listens to me." She picked up her briefcase and sashayed away, triumph and smugness evident in her every movement.

Emma softened her warm, brown eyes when she looked at the pale, frightened Flora, "Don't worry. I'll do whatever it takes to convinces Graham to let your brother stay in Storybrooke."

Flora keep her eyes on the papers Regina had left. "I promised my mom and dad I'd look after Conner before they died, and now I have no say in what happens to him. I've never felt so helpless in my life."

"You _have_ help," Emma told her.

"Do you think I did it?" Flora looked at Emma for the first time.

"I-I'm not at liberty to say," Emma replied carefully.

Flora's lips twisted into a bitter smile, "Of course you're not."

"Regardless, I care about Conner, and I'm not gonna let anything happen to him," Emma insisted.

"Why does she do that?" Flora wondered aloud, not to Emma in particular, "It's like she can't breath unless she's making other people miserable."

* * *

Paige handed out the flashlights while Henry studied the map of the forest once more. When Henry and Conner come to her at school asking her to help them solve Ms. Jefferson's disappearance, she had jumped at the chance. She wasn't sure if she believed Conner's sister was really innocent, but Paige wanted to know what had actually happened that winter night in the woods.

Paige had always liked Ms. Jefferson, despite (maybe because of) her eccentricity; something about felt warm and familiar and maternal. Of course, she never said so in front of her parents, of else they might have become concerned. Everyone avoided Ms. Jefferson like she had the plague, but in the few brief moments their paths crosses, Paige felt a rush of affection of the lonely woman that she couldn't completely explain. Whatever the case, she thought finding the real kidnapper would be a fantastic adventure. And she would get to do it with their friends.

First, they had told all their parents and guardians that they were all at each house's for the night, where really they were at Henry's castle, within sight of a remote part of the forest where Henry thought Ms. Jefferson had been dragged off, if not held in secret for all that time she had been missing. The twins went over their supplies, making sure it all worked. Conner looked over Henry's shoulder as he pointed out the points in the map to search.

"What do you think we'll find out there?" Paige asked, suddenly nervous. A memory assaulted her, the day last winter when she came across a bloody heart in the snow. She didn't get a good night's sleep for months after that.

Henry shrugged, "Anything suspicious. Something that belonged to Priscilla, some rope, a weapon. Anything that could prove that Flora didn't have anything to do with Priscilla's disappearance."

"How are we splitting up?" Ava asked.

Henry looked over the group with a thoughtful look. "I guess you and Nicky can go together, and I'll go with Conner and Paige."

Ava made a face, "No way, I don't want to go with Nicky."

"Why not?" Nicky demanded hotly.

"We do _everything_ together," Ava whined, "I want to go with Paige. Paige, are you okay with that?"

"Uh, sure," Paige replied.

Nicky crossed his arms, "Fine. I'll go with Conner and Henry."

"Actually, I want to go by myself. We'll cover more ground that way," Conner cut in anxiously.

Henry frowned, "Are you sure that's a good idea? I don't think you should do off by yourself."

"I'll be fine," Conner held up a walkie-talkie, "If I need anything I'll let you know."

Henry did not look convinced, but he knew they didn't have time to argue, so he let it go. "Alright. Everybody ready?" The other children nodded, grabbed their supplies, and went off in different directions.

* * *

Since that first night Adam had come to her after dark, Belle invited him to her chambers every night after sunset. He had spent countless years without the touch of another person and Belle found she did not mind indulging him. To make sure she couldn't see his face and worsen his curse, Belle took to wearing a thick, black cloth around her eyes so she could see nothing even if she opened his eyes. She practiced walked around her chambers with the blindfold so she didn't make a fool of herself when Adam visited her.

He arrived just after sunset, like always. Their friendship had been growing steadily, but after Adam's explanation of his past and the introduction of physical touch, some unseen distance between them vanished with alarming speed. Most nights they stood in the sitting room, hugging and tracing each other's faces. On others they sat down and held hands as they continued whatever conversation they had been having earlier that day. Once, they sat on the floor together, Adam's head in her lap as Belle traced imaginary patterns on his face and neck. She had never been intimate with a man. Part of her feared it, part of her craved her it.

"Have you finished Dempsey's _Geography of the Faerie Realms_?" Adam's cheerful voice greeted her when she opened the door for her. His long, strong arms encircled Belle, his head resting at the junction between her neck and shoulder.

Belle melted into his touch, "Not yet, but I'm nearly finished."

As they spoke about the book, Adam settled on an overstuffed chair. Normally Belle would sit in the other chair, holding his hand as they enjoyed each other's company, but tonight boldness hit Belle like a spear piercing her chest. She lifted her skirts up to her knees and straddled him. Adam's sharp intake of breath sent a thrill down her spine.

"Go on," she encouraged. "What do think of Dempsey?" Belle placed her hand over his heart. A prickle of pleasure traveled up her arm when she felt his heartbeat quicken. She ought to have been embarrassed by her behavior, but she wasn't.

Adam stammered through his opinions of the book, but neither he nor Belle was paying much attention to what he was saying. Despite the intimacy they had shared in the past few weeks, they had never been together like this.

Growing bolder still, Belle leaned against him, nestling her head against his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Adam hissed. His tone held more anxiety than anger and he squirmed uncomfortably in his seat.

Belle pulled away from her, face warm. "I'm sorry," she replied with genuine embarrassment. "I didn't mean to...I thought-"

Adam cradled her neck in his large hand, pulled her closer, and pressed his lips against hers. He kissed her like he breathed, like he needed the taste of her mouth to survive. Belle stiffened in surprised, but accepted the kiss long before she was consciously aware of what they were doing. Dempsey forgotten, Belle and Adam held each other close and kissed until they couldn't breathe.

They came up for air moments later. Belle felt as though someone had splashed ice-cold water into her face. A nervous laugh escaped her though. If she could have looked at Adam's face, she would have blushed harder at the hungry way he gazed up at her. "That was... new," Belle sighed happily.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have done that," Adam whispered.

Belle leaned forward and kissed him deeply, "You're forgiven. Can we...can we keep going? I like kissing you."

Their lips connected a third time, their hands roaming around each other's bodies. As Belle's fingers clutched tightly into his collar, Adam run his fingers through her thick hair. His hands fell from her hair to her back. Her body became unbearably warm. Adam's fingers hooked under the hem of her skirts, slowly lifted them higher.

"Yes," Belle laughed. "I want you." She pulled away to pull his shirt over head, fumbling slightly as she hastily wrenched it free from his shoulders. Her palms delighted in the feel of his naked chest. "I want you."

* * *

"I'm sorry, Emma. If Regina thinks it best that-"

"Oh come on," Emma crossed her arms. "You can't seriously tell me that ripping this boy from everyone he ever knew and sending him to live with strangers," - Graham rolled his eyes - "is somehow better than letting him stay with a neighbor until his sister's name is cleared."

Graham cocked his head and frowned, "So, you're already convinced that Flora Xue is innocent."

"I meant, until his sister's case is closed," Emma amended. She brought a cup of coffee to Graham's desk, leaning against it as she sipped her own cup.

"Do you ever think this has more to do with you than with Conner," Graham asked, looking up from his paperwork.

"What are you talking about?" Emma asked between sips.

"You seem hellbent on making sure no kids from this town end up in foster care, because you had a rough time when you were a kid."

"That's not fair," Emma scowled.

"Isn't it?" Graham replied smoothly, "I'm not saying I don't trust your judgement, but I think you need to evaluate why you think foster care is so horrible."

"I don't think it's horrible," Emma lied, "I'm a foster parent too, remember?"

"You trust yourself with kids more than state-certified foster parents?"

"Everyone trusts themselves more than people they don't know. That's common sense," Emma replied dryly. "I'm not saying foster care is bad, I'm saying it's not what Conner needs."

The shrill ring of the station telephone cut off Graham's response. He signaled to Emma to stop speaking. After a few moments of tense conversation, Graham hung up, but before he could speak again, the telephone rang again. Emma's cell phone buzzed in her pocket. _Incoming Call: Mary Blanchard_. Her heart sank in worry.

Emma moved away from Graham and answered her phone. "What is it?"

"Listen," Mary began, panic evident in her words, "you know how the twins said they were spending the night at Paige Lewis's house tonight? Well Paige's mother just called asking me if she was us. She has no idea where the kids are."

"Fuck." Emma looked over her shoulder to where Graham had just finished another phone call and looked back at her. "I pretty sure they lied to us about where they'd be tonight. Don't worry, Graham and I are going to find them."

"Okay," Mary replied. "Call me if anything happens."

"Of course," Emma promised.

* * *

Belle woke up alone. She absently reached out and touched the spot beside her on the where Adam had slept, but found it empty. "Adam?" she called out tentatively. No answer. She hazard to remove her blindfold, and indeed she was entirely alone. Outside, the fat, round moon hung lung in the black sky, surrounded by countless twinkling stars. She rose from the bed and throw a dressing gown over her nude body when she realized how cold she was.

Tears stung her eyes. Why didn't Adam stayed the night with her? Had she disappointed him somehow? She couldn't go look for him, at least not until morning, from the risk of seeing his human face. She looked outside the window once more, at the silvery moon shining down on her, wishing the night would already end.

* * *

They started searching at Henry's castle and found five sets of footprints leading into the woods, which Emma and Graham could only assume belonged to Henry, Conner, Paige, Ava, and Nicholas. The footprints stopped at the entrance to the woods, to Emma's horror. Just what did those kids think they were doing wandering around the woods in the middle of the night without anyone knowing they were out there? Emma and Graham scoured the woods together, calling out the children's names from time to time and keeping an eye out for any sign of them.

After two hours of searching, Emma found the beam of a flashlight a short distance away and ran to it, Graham hot on her heels. They found Conner alone, examining something on the ground.

"Conner?" Emma called. The young boy's head snapped up sharply, and even in the dim light Emma watched his face don an expression of fear. "You're not in trouble, with me at least.

Graham asked, "Is there anyone else with you?"

He shook his head, "We split up. Ava and Paige went one way and Henry and Nicholas went another."

"You were by yourself?" Emma felt overwhelming concern for him. This poor kid, who lost his parents and grandmother not that long ago, who's sister was currently sitting in a jail cell; and here he was, alone in the middle of the woods at night.

"I wanted to be myself," Conner muttered. Emma placed a hand on his shoulder, unsure how to comfort him.

"Still think Storybrooke's the best place for him?" Graham asked Emma.

Conner furrowed his brow. "What?"

"Later," Emma told Conner. She turned to Graham, "Now not the time."

"Do you know where the others were headed?" Graham continued, ignoring Emma's remark. Conner said that he didn't. "Take him back to the squad car, Emma. I'll keep looking for the other kids, and you meet back up with me once Conner's out of these woods."

Emma nodded and without another word, she took Conner by the shoulders and led him back to the squad car. Once they were out of earshot of Graham, Conner asked, "What he mean, about Storybrooke being the best place for me?"

"You've been staying with Ms. Thorne these last few days," Emma explained, "but the mayor is trying to get you placed in foster care and Sheriff Graham agrees with her."

"Where would I be staying if I went into foster care?"

"I don't know. Outside of Storybrooke, that's for sure."

Conner stopped walking. In the pale moonlight, his skin looked ghostly white, and his dark brown eyes were so large they seemed to take up half his face. "I have to leave Storybrooke?!"

"Nothing is official yet," Emma shrugged lamely, "but that does seem to be the case. Especially after tonight. People are going to wonder if Ms. Thorne can handle you."

Conner blinked away silent tears and Emma's heart arched for him. "I-I didn't know. It was Henry's idea. He said if we could proof that Flora was innocent, everything would be okay. I didn't know it meant the mayor would take me away! I wouldn't have come if I had known!"

Emma wrapped her around the crying child, "I know, I understand."

* * *

If you could say one thing about Flora Xue, it was that she followed rules. She listened to her parents, didn't talk back to her teachers, put up with her boss' bullshit not matter how much she felt like hitting him over the head with a chair whenever he blamed for her something going wrong with a patient that clearly wasn't her fault. And where had that gotten her? In a jail cell waiting trial for Priscilla Jefferson's disappearance, with a possible murder change over the human heart found in the woods.

She worried about Conner. Dawn had been nice enough to look after him, but if Mayor Mills had her way, he'd be shipped of to a foster home before she'd even had her day in court. A trial could take years, and by then he would likely already be adopted and even if she was found innocent, she'd loss custody of him forever. She hadn't seen him since her arrest. Did he think she was guilty?

Her questions came to screeching halt when Graham and Emma returned to the station with five exhausted, dirty children, one of them with a tear-streaked face, and Flora knew her problems would only get worse from there.


	29. Lost Sons

Zela and James made their way through the war camp, herbs pulled low over their faces to avoid being recognized. Zela gazed all around her, eyes front frantically searching for any semblance of the familiar. In the time she had been locked away in the tower, the world had moved on without her, and it was a world she wasn't sure she had a place in anymore. She was still coming to terms with the fact that her entire family had lived and died without her, that everyone she had ever known was gone and there was nothing she could do to see them again, to make amends or tell them that she loved them.

James kept a hand on his sword as he and Zoe weaved through the crowds of soldiers and civilians who had come to support the rebel army. If they could just find a way to reach his father, James knew he could keep them safe. He felt a duty of care toward Zela. She was alone, and he was the only friendly face she had left. No one seemed to notice Zela, though a few seemed interested in him. James kept moving forward, afraid that if the rebels knew who he was things would turn out very badly for him and his new friend. He didn't know what the rebels wanted or why they hated his father, but he wasn't keen on sticking around to find out why.

"David? David! What are you doing here?"

James stiffened as a someone grabbed his shoulder. It was a young woman, with deep brown eyes and olive skin, her hair hidden under a blood red cloak.

"I though you and Snow were-" The stranger examined him closely, confused. "Wait, you're not David."

"No, I'm not." James replied curtly. He put his hand on Zela's waist, intending to continue on their way to his father's castle, but the stranger moved closer.

"You look just like him, but younger." Her eyes widened in comprehension. "You're _James_?"

His surprise gave him away, but fear quickly took over. "Run!" he commanded Zela.

She let go of his hand and sprinted in one direction; he went the other. Despite his best efforts to dodge the people and animals that blocked his path, two large, leather-clad hand grabbed him. In his struggle to break free, James lost his footing and fell to the ground.

The red-cloaked woman came running up behind him, flanked by armed guards. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

His captor helped him to his feet, but James winced as his left ankle hit the ground. He'd sprained it.

"Don't worry, we can get you to healer's tent and he'll fix you up." The woman apologized.

James's confusion only grew. He knew this was a camp of rebels and traitors who hated his father, so why would a woman who clearly had a great deal of authority treat him like an honored guest. He nodded stiffly, not trusting himself to say anything. As the guard helped him hobble to the tent, the woman explained, "My name is Rose Red, but everyone just calls me Red. My sister, Snow White, is married to your brother."

"I don't have a brother, or any siblings." James now felt certain this woman had confused him with someone else. It was a shame he had frightened Zela and hurt his ankle over nothing. He hoped she was okay, wherever she was.

Red gave him a pitying look, "King George never told you, did he?"

At once James's world seemed to tilt on its axis. He found it difficult to keep steady. So she _did_ know who he really was. And apparently she knew more about him that he knew of himself. A brother... impossible. Father wouldn't have sent one of his own children away, and even if he had, James and his father shared everything. There had to some mistake, some misunderstanding. Whether true or not, he still had no answer for Red's strange behavior.

"I suppose David, your brother, should be the one telling you all this," Red smiled sadly, "but he's leading the other half of the army with Snow, his wife."

James felt dizzy. This massive gathering of people and supplies was only _half_ the army that had risen up against his father? He had to get back home, he had to warn his father.

As they reached the tent and the guard placed him on a cot, Red summoned a witch to perform a typical examination, to make sure he wasn't a spy or under some kind of spell to change his appearance. Once she was satisfied that he wasn't an imposer, Red sat beside him and continued, "You were adopted. Your blood parents were two farmers named Robert and Ruth; Robert passed away years ago, I'm sorry to say, but Ruth still lives. You and David were twins."

"You said I looked younger than him," James said more to himself than to Red. He knew the reason for it, but he didn't feel like telling her just yet. Despite her warm manners, he didn't trust her. She was part of a group that wanted his father dethroned and dead, and who's to say she wasn't making all this up?

"Years younger, but I can't figure out why," Red admitted. "Anyway, when you and David were babies, you both got really sick and your blood parents couldn't afford any medicine. They made a deal with the Dark One to ensure you'd both live, but they would have to give one of you up."

"Why me?" James interjected, surprisingly angry now. He didn't believe her, not entirely, but the thought of being given away stung.

"I don't know," Red admitted, "You'd have to ask Ruth. She and Robert never talked about it with David either. He grew up think he was only child, just like you. When you went missing, King George had David brought to court to pretend to be you until you were found." She gazed around the tent. "As I'm sure you can guess, that didn't go as planned."

James sat up and glared at her, "You're telling me that my long lost brother is waging a war against my _adopted_ father?"

"David can explain it better than I can," Red offered weakly, still with that gentle, apologetic look in her eyes. It disgusted him. It meant she cared enough about him to worry about his feelings. She wouldn't care if she wasn't telling the truth. "I know it's a lot to take in and-"

"Get out," James snarled. He head spun, and his eyes tightened with the threat of tears. He wasn't going to cry in front of this woman, he couldn't. "I don't want to see you anymore, just get out."

"Okay," Red stood up. "I'll look for your friend and make sure she's alright."

With that, she left James to his turmoil.

* * *

Two cars parked near Storybrooke Police Department under the light of a fall moon. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis hopped out of the first car not bothering to watch where they were going, and Mrs. Lewis was nearly hit by the other car, belonging to the town's mayor, Regina Mills. When Regina got the call about her son being found in the woods that night, she didn't believe it at first. She went to Henry's bedroom to check up on him, but when she turned on the, she only found his empty bed and open window. Anger coursed through her. How could he do this to her? To think things had been going so well between them.

Though the Lewises had arrived at the police station first, Regina was the first in the door, her quick angry but steps echoing through the empty halls. She found Henry and his four miscreant friends huddled together near the jail cell covered in old blankets and drinking hot chocolate. Flora Xue remained in her cell, quietly speaking to her brother. She gave Regina an apprehensive look when they made eye contact. Miss Swan sat at her desk filing a report, and Graham was nowhere to be found. She stood up when she saw Regina.

Miss Swan remained a huge thorn in Regina's side. Their feud had reached an impasse; due to the memory spell Regina put on her all those years ago, Miss Swan couldn't believe magic existed, but something in her refused to let her leave Storybrooke, and the town continued to unraveled the longer she stayed. To make matters worse, she suspected that David Nolan had somehow regained his regained his memories, though she couldn't be sure. Then there was the matter of the elusive Killian Jones, who Regina couldn't find any dirt on no matter how hard she tried.

"What happened?" Regina demanded.

Miss Swan frowned, "You tell me. Aren't you Henry's mother? How is it the you keep letting him sneak away from you?"

"I don't have time for your attitude, Miss Swan," Regina rebuked. "It's late and I need to get my son home."

Mrs. Lewis interrupted them, "Paige? Dear god, what were you thinking?" The Lewises hugged their daughter tightly, to Regina's annoyance. The little beast should have fallen somewhere and broken her neck. Maybe that would teach Henry to stop disobeying her.

"Who was responsible for this little excursion?" Regina demanded.

Henry looked her square in the face, unremorseful, "It was my idea. You were going to put Flora in jail for something she didn't even do, so I had to find a way to stop you."

She should have killed Priscilla Jefferson herself. Asking Gold for favors always backfired on her, but for some reason she just couldn't seem to learn. The trickster had gotten rid of Miss Jefferson, as she had asked, but he had merely kidnapped her. And only a few months later, she was back.

Regina glared at Miss Swan, "Have you been telling him lies about me? Have you been beating him the notion that this woman-" she pointed angrily at Flora "-was somehow innocent?"

"Stop blaming Emma for everything!" Henry screamed, "You're the one who keeps causing problems, not her!"

"Get the car! I don't want to hear another word from you for the rest of the night."

"No." Henry stood firmly.

Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, still silent, held Paige back as if they expected a physical confrontation to ensue. The Xue siblings sat by in wide-eyed nervousness. Emma looked from Henry to Regina to Henry again. The tension broke when the door swung open, and Graham entered with some large object stuffed in a black evidence bag.

"Ah, I see everyone's here," he noted airily.

"What is that?" Regina eyed the evidence bag warily.

"That's for me to worry about," Graham replied coolly. "Emma, I'll leave this mess up to you."

Regina felt a sliver of ice run down her back as Graham turned away from her, to place the contents of that mysterious bag in the evidence room.

* * *

Regina found her son sitting at the table staring intently on a scroll. She sat down a cup of wine in front of him and took a sip from the other. "Is it your cousin Edward again? He is such a nuisance."

Alexander tore his eyes from the scroll, glaring at her. "No. It's a letter from my foster mother."

"The woman who raised you?" Regina's tone soured. She disliked any mention of Alexander's foster family, the people Cora had given him too after she had ripped him away from her own daughter. She preferred to imagine that she was the only mother Alexander ever had or ever would have, and that the barren farmer's wife meant no more to him than any nanny or wet nurse.

"Yes, she was just recounting the story of how I came to my other family." Alexander's jaw clenched and for a moment, Regina thought she could see tears forming in his eyes. "She told me of the old woman who had brought me to her, my blood grandmother, who was ashamed of me because I was born out of wedlock."

Regina set the glass of wine on the table, afraid that she would drop it. No, she thought, he couldn't have found out.

Alexander continued, "Her name was Lady Cora. That's your mother's name, isn't it? I've read the genealogy records."

"Let me explain –"

"You lied to me!" Alexander rose to his feet. "I am not the ting's son, am I? In the letter, she said my blood father was beneath my blood mother, that he was a mere servant."

"He was a good man! He was the love of my life!" Regina couldn't stop herself. The words came out without her will. She could not stand the thought of Daniel's son, his only son, thinking badly of him. but it was too late now, the lie exposed, and the truth more painful then either of them had anticipated.

The tears fell from Alexander's eyes, but he wiped them away quickly. "So it's true? You admit it. Why?"

"It wasn't my choice," Regina cried. "My mother took you away from me before I had even seen you. But I loved you, I love you more than words could say."

"I understand that. I mean, why didn't you tell me I was your son by blood? Why did you lie and say I was the king's bastard? Do you even realize what you've done, the birthright you stolen from Edward?"

"Don't tell me you'd like to see that a man on the throne," Regina snapped.

"It's not about what I would like, it's about the truth, about what's right!"

Regina almost shook her head. Living among the common folk had turned her son into a brainless do-gooder like that insipid Queen Eva. How she would have raised him to be clever and cunning! If only she had been given the chance.

"None of that matters now," Regina said.

Alexander's face dark end with anger, "What is wrong with you?

Regina sighed patiently and placed her hands on his chest. "You know I've only wanted what was best for you, don't you? "

He shook his head. "Have you ever told me one true thing, ever?"

"Of course!" Regina's lips trembled with anger. "I have loved you since I learned that you existed. Your father was the love of my life, and we would have gotten married and raised you and been happy if it weren't for my mother. She took you from me and forced me to marry the king. I've been miserable ever since, but we can put all that behind us. We can be the family that we should have been all along."

A strange emotion flickered on Alexander's face. "Did you really hate the king that much?"

"Yes. He was a file, evil man who treated me like garbage! He made my life a hell. But he's gone now, he's gone and he can never hurt us."

Alexander's eyes widened in comprehension. "You killed him," he accused.

Regina's heart beat faster in her rib cage. Surely, her own son couldn't take that bastard's side, not her dear Daniel's son. "You would have killed him if you knew half the things he did to me!"

"That doesn't justify murder - regicide!"

Tears flowed freely from Regina's eyes. Never in her worst nightmares had she imagined that her son, one of the few people in the world she ever loved, would say such a thing. To suggest that she should have endured her husband's abuse because it was the "right thing" to do. She had suffered betrayals before, but never like this.

"Did you kill your daughters too? Did you plan all this out just so you could rule through me?" Alexander demanded.

"No," Regina's voice shook. It wasn't technically a lie… She hadn't _meant_ for Snow to take the blame for Leopold's death, but the circumstances forced her hand. And Red, well, she certainly wasn't dead, but she'd be much happier as a werewolf than as a queen.

"What happened? Why did you lie?" Alexander's voice dropped to broken whisper.

"I didn't kill anyone for you," Regina answered stiffly. "Leopold... Leopold was evil. Not me. All I did was defend myself. The girls…things got out of control."

Alexander scoffed, "I could have had sisters."

"It's not my fault!" Regina insisted. "The people of this kingdom don't like me. They knew Leopold and I didn't get along, and they took his side! I didn't know what I was facing, and I…I wanted to meet you. I missed you so much, and I was finally free to take you back. My mother was gone, so was my husband. I finally had an excuse to come find you."

"No, you invented an excuse," Alexander corrected. "You made up some story about me being the king's son and heir to the throne. You never even planned to tell me you were my blood mother, did you?"

"I wanted to-"

"But you weren't going to! Because I was more valuable to you as a bastard king than as your son!" Alexander shouted.

Regina felt her world unraveling. All her work had gone nowhere, all her pain had been for nothing, and she didn't know what to say to make this better. "Alexander, listen to me. I love you more than anyone in the world. You can choose not to believe me, but that doesn't make it any less true. I made you king because that's what mothers do, they give their children the best. I'm sorry you have to lie, but we're already in too deep to turn back now."

"You're not even my real mother," Alexander interrupted, "You're just the woman who gave birth to me. Why should I keep your secrets?"

Regina felt as though someone had sent her lungs on fire. She collapsed at her son's feet, unable to keep her balance. "I'll die," Regina choked, tears flowing freely. "Regicide is a capital crime. They'll kill me, the Duke of Prusemond will _kill me_. You know he already hates me. If you give him any excuse, he'll have me swinging from a noose by morning. You can't let him kill me," Regina begged.

Alexander helped Regina to her feet, and whispered a promise in her ear. Heartbroken and humiliated, the queen limped back to her bedchamber.


	30. Allowed

Emma had gone out of her way to avoid David Nolan after his miraculous recovery. It wasn't as though he was bad guy; from what she heard around town, he seemed to go out of way to be kind and generous. But something about the way he looked at her put her off. It was too intimate, too emotional, and always made her uncomfortable. Shortly after his release from the hospital he'd made several attempts to befriend her, but Emma had brushed him off every time. Bitchy? Maybe. But being around him made her feel exposed and scrutinized.

Right now through, she didn't have the option of giving him the cold shoulder. She wanted Flora Xue freed and reunited with her brother, and she needed David to get that done. The instant he learned of Regina's threat to have Conner sent away, he whipped out his phone and somehow got the previous public defender to agree to foster Conner. The sheriff's department handled child custody cases in Storybrooke, not the mayor, and since that night Henry took all his friends into the woods looking for evidence, Graham had been noticeably less willing to do whatever Regina whispered in his ear.

Mahmud Rahim was a semi-retired lawyer who lived with his son Ali and daughter-in-law Nur in a quaint townhouse a few blocks off Main Street. Apart from the on-going legal battle between his old friends, the Thorne family, with their brother-in-law, Mr. Gold, over their daughter's life support, Mahmud didn't have much else going on and was more than willing to take in a kid with nowhere else to go. He had the town's respect and had raised three boys mostly on his own. His eldest taught at Storybrooke High School; his middle son worked as a physical therapist at Storybrooke General Hospital; his youngest was a fisherman. All successful, all well-liked, all upstanding citizens. Whatever objections anyone could have against Dawn Thorne, they didn't apply to Mahmud Rahim. Even Regina had to concede that.

Conner was grateful that Mahmud had welcomed him into his home, and after the previous disaster, he was determined not to mess up this second chance. The day he had to pack up and leave Dawn's apartment, he apologized to her for being so difficult. Dawn simply told him that she understood he was going through rough time, and that maybe she hadn't been the right person to take care of him after all. He made sure to have Pippa a hug before he left.

Emma escorted him to his new home, but he noticed that she seemed distracted.

Mahmud, Ali, and Nur greeted them warmly when Emma dropped Conner off. Conner had already met Mahmud at the police station, so Mahmud made the introductions. Ali and Nur were a happily married couple in their late-twenties, about the same age as Emma, though they didn't have children yet. Ali looked nearly identical to his father, without the grey hairs and wrinkles and the fact that he had dark green eyes instead of his father's brown. Nur had a warm smile, lovely despite her slightly crooked teeth, her face framed from a violet hijab with a burgundy floral pattern.

"It's nice to meet you Conner," Ali welcomed as he shook Conner's hand.

Nur said, "I hope you're not too big a fan of pork; I can't cook it because it's haram."

"It's...what?" Conner blinked.

"We're Muslims and that comes with certain rules," Mahmud explained. "Basically haram means forbidden and halal means allowed."

"But pork is the best!" Conner protested. Ali and Nur exchanged patient smiles. "Last year on my birthday my sister made this pork stir fry with-" He sobered immediately. Thinking of Flora and what she was going through hurt more than anything else. In a more subdue toned, Conner continued. "Nevermind. I'm fine with eating something else."

The adults become alarmed by his sudden despondency, but they knew now was not the right time to address it. He needed to get settled in before he was even close to being ready to deal with the emotional distress of being separated from his sister.

Mahmud placed a hand on Conner's shoulder in a very fatherly way. "Thanks for bringing him over Deputy Swan. We can take it from here."

Emma nodded, then turned to Conner. "Good luck kid. And don't worry, something tells me everything's going to work out just fine."

Conner offered her a small, half-hopeful smile, which she returned before waving and walking back to her squad car. Emma drove to David Nolan's office next. Normally she wouldn't have bothered, but Regina's relentless pursue of inflicting as much misery on other people as possible had forced Emma to admit she needed as many allies as she could get. Especially after what Graham found in the woods.

* * *

Mary walked out of the grocery store with a large bag of feed for her birds, and as she moved to get into her car, someone grabbed her by the wrist. Startled, she looked around and saw Regina Mills glowering over her with barely-concealed contempt. For some reason the mayor had just always seemed to hate her.

"Can I help you Madam Mayor?" Mary sighed.

Regina took offense at her attitude, but she said, "I need a favor from you."

Surprised and suspicious, Mary replied, "Why should I do anything for you?"

"Let me guess, Henry has convinced you I'm the big bad Evil Queen?" Regina scoffed, though there was real concern in her expression. "I've been trying to show him that's not the case. Forget it, that's not what I came to talk about. I-"

"Save it, Regina," Mary interrupted. "You know, I used to defend you. People said you were cold and unfeeling, but I stood up for you. I told them you just had a lot on your plate and couldn't always be friendly, but deep down you were a good person, a loving mom, a caring mayor. But now I realize you're exactly what people always said you were." Regina's cheeks reddened, but Mary continued, "I know what you tried to do to the Xue family. Everybody knows."

At those words, Regina stiffed and looked around, wary of anyone that might be listening in on their conversation. "Everyone knows what, exactly?"

"How you tried to send Conner Xue away from Storybrooke, just like Ava and Nicky Zimmer," Mary's eyes glimmered with genuine anger now. She had been unsure about Emma taking them in at first, but after months of living with them and helping care for them, Mary almost felt like there were her kids too. "I don't think you care about those kids at all."

"I'm the only one trying to do what's best for them!" Regina snapped.

Mary raised her voice as well, "No you're not! Who do you think you're still fooling? You question Dawn Thorne's parenting but not your own? Henry was in the woods too, it was his idea, but _you're_ the ideal mother? You just like hurting people."

Regina sneered, "Let's not forget the two insufferable brats of Miss Swan's were involved as well."

"Yeah, but Emma and I take responsibility for what our kids do. You never have," Mary retorted. "Henry runs away from you constantly, and you blame it on him. He doesn't listen to you, and you blame it on Emma. He accuses you being a literal evil witch, and you blame it on a damn book. Nothing is ever your fault, but the instant someone else makes a mistake you try to tear them down. The whole town is sick of you!"

By now both were flushed with the exertion from their argument, but Regina looked far more shaken up that Mary did. In truth Mary surprised herself with the intensity of her outburst, and a little embarrassed that she let herself get that explosive. Deep down, she realized, that was something more to her anger toward Regina that just the incident with the Xue siblings, or the twins, or even Ashley's baby. Regina had a pattern of separating people from their children, and something deep in Mary's gut, something she couldn't even begin to name, told her that Regina was capable of much worse.

* * *

Mulan, Aurora, and Ah Ping traveled through the forest that surrounded the royal palace in hopes of reaching Oswyna, the city of sorcerers. During her initial search for Aurora at the king and queen's behest, Mulan had learned of the place from a wandering witch who had once lived in the city, but had struck out on her own after quarreling with her parents. Oswyna had a questionable reputation as the refuge for outcasts, exiles, and those who lacked conventional morals, but no one could doubt that it had the greatest concentration of magic users in the realms, for good or ill.

During their journey Aurora relayed some tales she'd been told as a child of the mysterious city. Her adopted mothers had to travel into the city every once and a while when they were running low on supplies or needed help with some magical problem that they could not deal with themselves. But they never allowed Aurora herself to visit the city with them. They didn't even speak openly about the city, but sometimes at night, when they thought Aurora was asleep, she would listen in on them as they talked about the city. A handful of her neighbors had been to Oswyna as well, and were more willing to talk about it.

She heard rumors of dark sorcerers operating from the shadows, far from the observant eyes of any monarch or monastery; running from fame or infamy, responsibilities or revenge. Dark spells cast in the dead of night, some mysterious lights filling the night air with awe and visible from miles away. Reports of unexplained disappearances and unexplainable deaths.

Aurora kept the worst of these stories to herself, the once that used to keep her awake at night terrified of what she might see behind her eyelids; both from fear of scaring Ah Ping and from worrying Mulan. Mulan had wanted to leave Ah Ping in some village near the city so he would not have to enter it himself, until Aurora informed that they were no villages within fifty miles of the city. It would take them over a week to reach the city from the nearest village given the terrain; they didn't know how long they'd be required to stay, and after all that it would take another week to get back. At that rate they didn't have enough money to pay for Ah Ping to have decent lodgings and food, so Mulan was forced to take him with them. The remainder of their journey would take them through harsh, uninhabited land, and there was no telling what could happen to them until they reached the city of sorcerers.

* * *

David looked up nervously when the knock came to his door. Emma had arrived on time, wearing her signature red leather jacket and a bright yellow top that complemented her brown skin. His relief surprised him, as if he hadn't actually be sure she's show up. Of course she would. He'd only learned what kind of person she was by watching her from distance, due to her clear hostility toward him, but all evidence suggested she wasn't the kind of person who did things halfway. More importantly, unlike everyone else in town she wasn't afraid of Regina.

He was. David remembered the devastation Regina brought with her, both intentionally malicious and accidental. In a bittersweet way, he was almost happy Emma didn't have to grow up in the shadow of her grandmother's crimes. Still, from he could tell she had grown up alone and only started putting down roots when she arrived in Storybrooke.

"So, what have you got for me?" Emma started briskly.

David handed her a folder, "That's Flora's list of alibis. We've got a pretty good list of character witnesses too. The charges won't stick."

"But..." She had sensed the hesitation in his voice.

"The mayor and the DA can drag this case out for as long as they need too. Unless they somehow pay off the entire jury - and I doubt even those two are capable of that - the longer Flora sits in jail, the more disruptive this will be to her life." David explained.

Emma nodded, "And even if we prove Flora's innocence, Regina-" She paused, looking as through she had just said too much.

"I know Regina," David continued, "She's like a bulldozer that doesn't stop until she's flattened everything around."

"That's one way of putting," Emma replied with a half smile. "But I get the feeling we won't have to worry about Regina much longer."

"Don't underestimate her," David warned. "How's Conner?"

The smile slipped from Emma's face. "I don't know. I dropped him off with his new foster family this morning, but he seemed really upset when I left. I'm gonna called Mr. Rahim tonight and suggest he take Conner to therapy. I bet Henry'll be glad to know he's not the only kid who needs to see a shrink."

"Yeah, that's Regina son, right?" David asked. Emma nodded in confirmation. He wondered what parents Regina had taken him from when she cast the curse.

"Honestly," Emma continued, "I think the only person more edger to see Regina get what's to her than us, is Henry."

"Really? I know they don't really get along..."

Emma scoffed, "Oh, that's the understatement of the decade. I think she loves him, at least somewhat, but he really whats nothing to do with her. You know how I got to Storybrooke? Henry ran away from home to come find because he thought I was his birth mother. It took me ages to convince him I wasn't."

"But you still stayed in town?" David puzzled.

Emma shrugged, looking somewhat awkward now. "I only planned to stay a little while, to keep an eye on him. I seemed to be the only person he responded to, and I felt kind of responsible for him. Then I got a roommate, and a job, a couple of foster kids... So, here I am."

David found it incredible that she actually did. Maybe there was more to this curse that what Zelena told them.

"Okay, why to you do that?" Emma demanded, exasperated.

The question was such a non-sequitur, David started at her for a moment wondering what she was talking about. Finally he asked, "What do you mean?"

"You look at me like," Emma had a vague hand gesture, "like... Forgot it. Forget I said anything."

"Wait, have I been making you uncomfortable?" David's eyebrows flew up in surprise.

Emma's expression indicated that if she had fair skin it'd been bright red. "A little," she admitted. The look on David's face only increased that feeling.

"Jesus, I-I'm so sorry, I didn't realize..." David stammered.

"It's nothing," Emma insisted. "I should have talked to you instead of avoiding you. You just seem so...sad, I guess, and I don't know how to handle."

"I'm just dealing with a lot. It has nothing to do with you," David lied. There was no way he could tell her the truth, at least not yet. He hadn't even realized he was being so open with his emotions, and it made him what to kick himself. If Emma noticed it, did that mean Regina was onto him? The last thing he needed was for Regina to know he'd kept his original set of memories.

Emma shook her head, "Right. The memory loss, and getting uprooted from your home. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so quick to judge."

"There's nothing to forgive," David told her sincerely.

* * *

When Emma got home, the kids were helping Mary feed the birds. Their face turned to worry as she approached. "Conner's gonna be fine," Emma began, since she knew that's what they were most worried about. "He's settling in with his new foster family, and they seem like really nice people. You can ask him about it at school on Monday."

They seemed a little more relaxed, but then Ava asked, "So are we in trouble too?"

"Oh, absolutely," Emma stated flatly. "You're grounded for a month with no TV or video games."

Nicky looked aghast, but Ava merely nodded with a grimace. Henry's plan to prove to prove Flora's innocent had yielded no results, and only served to get them all in trouble.

Mary added, "That sounds perfectly fair, considering all the worry you caused us."

"We're just trying to help Conner and his sister!" Nicky protested.

Emma nodded, "We understand, and we're proud of you for wanting to help your friend, but you put yourself in danger. This is the kind of thing you're suppose to leave to adults. Promise us you won't go into the woods alone at night again."

"We promise," the twins said in unison.

Emma pulled her kids into a hug and kissed the tops of their heads, "Please don't every scare me like that again. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you."

That night, after Ava and Nicky had gone to bed, Emma and Mary sat on the couch with mugs of hot chocolate with cinnamon, watching some old movie on television. During a commercial breaks, they talked about what had happened that day. Emma mentioned that she was worried about Conner and had found ground with David Nolan. Mary frowned when she heard this, then told Emma of what David had said to her that night at Granny's. They both agreed he was a strange guy, but probably harmless. Then Mary recounted her encounter with Regina, which set off alarm bells in Emma's head. They both agreed she wasn't harmless at all.

As the movie came back on, Emma, without thinking about it first, turned to Mary and blurted out, "When all of this is over, I think I want to adopt the twins."


	31. The Venom

The next morning Ava and Nicky noticed that Emma was oddly happy. They had expected her to still be angry at them over what happened in the woods, but she made breakfast with a smile on her face and asked them how they slept. Mary had gone to school early that morning because of a teacher's meeting that was scheduled before school started. Emma still liked tired, as she hadn't been sleeping well for a while, she just pushed through it.

"I feel kind of bad for making her worry," Nicky admitted to Ava when Emma had gone to take a shower. "This is the nicest home we've ever lived in and we could have sent away again, like Conner."

"Emma wouldn't let anything happen to us," Ava retorted.

Nicky frowned, "I know. That's why I think we shouldn't be doing anything to stress her out. You know she's got a lot to deal with without us running in the woods and trying to prove the mayor is a fairy tale character."

Ava didn't replied. She just glared at him and went back to finishing her breakfast.

As soon as Emma dropped them off at school, Ava and Nicky made a beeline for Conner as he got out of the Rahim family car. He waved to them, a small sad smile on his face.

"What happened?" Nicky asked. "Are you okay?"

Conner shrugged, "I guess. I don't really want to talk about it."

Later that day they got a moment alone with Henry and Paige while waiting for their parents to pick them up. Ava and Nicky were to leave with Mary when she finished her work at school, but they stood outside by the curb to spend time with their friends.

Henry looked defeated. "I'm sorry I got you in so much trouble. I really thought we'd find something in the woods," he told Conner.

"Don't be. I went along with it, I should have known better," Conner replied.

"Maybe there isn't anything out there," Henry said, his eyes downcast.

Conner shook his head, "No, there has to be proof that my sister is innocent! You said we just have to have hope!"

Ava cut in, "Remember when Sheriff Graham walked in with that bag? I think maybe he found something that could prove Flora is innocent!"

Henry perked up, "I forgot about that."

"Maybe it was something else. We can't know for sure it was proof," Nicky doubted.

"Did you see that look he gave the mayor? He knows something, I'm sure of it." Ava insisted. Conner gave her a hopeful, grateful smile, but Paige just looked skeptical.

"This wouldn't be the first time the Evil Queen has caught doing something evil." Henry noted.

Nicky crossed his arms, "It doesn't matter either way. Even if what your saying about the curse is true, the sheriff won't do anything to her. She controls the whole time."

"But what if the curse is weakening?" Conner asked, looking expectantly at Henry.

"I noticed that things starting changing when Emma arrived," Henry explained, "But then things just settled into a new normal. She refuses to believe in magic, no matter what weird things happen here."

"Maybe the curse is reacting to Emma," Ava suggested, "Like, what's that work, what we learned in biology, homeotaxis?"

"Homeostasis," Conner corrected.

"Right, that!" Ava replied excited. "Maybe the curse adjusts itself whenever something changes, so nothing _really_ changes. And that's why Emma can't believe in magic."

" _I_ don't believe in magic!" Paige objected, speaking up for the first time. "Are we really discussing this like it's a real thing?"

"I'm with Paige," Nicky agreed. "We're letting this get out of hand."

Before anyone could answer him, the Rahim family car pulled into the driveway and Ali Rahim waved to Conner from the driver's seat. Conner looked apologetically to his friends, "I have to go. Can we talk about this later?"

The other four children muttered, "Sure."

* * *

"The lab just sent me an email, they got our sample," Graham told Emma gravely as she walked into work that morning. He glanced briefly at Flora, who was still asleep, then ushered Emma into a back room to make sure their conversation stayed private.

Her expression darkened. "Oh, that's...well we'll get an answer soon enough then. Any theories on who our kidnapper could be?"

"I'm keeping my options open." Graham replied. "To honest, I'm not even sure the jacket is definitely related to the case, but we have to rule it out before I can dismiss it as evidence."

Emma nodded, "So it's not a smoking gun?"

"Depends on what the lab says." Graham looked thoughtful, "It's weird, isn't it? The blood splatter pattern doesn't fit any pattern I've ever seen before, but then again I'm not a forensic pathologist."

"If this isn't connected to Priscilla's case, I'll eat my hat." Emma stated. She downed her second cup of coffee. Her nightmares still hadn't let up, but she was learning to cope. With lots and lots of caffeine.

Graham gave Emma a thoughtful look, "I'm starting to think Henry might be onto something."

"About?"

"His mother."

Emma laughed sarcastically, "Please don't tell me you're starting to believe in magic too."

"Of course not, "Graham rolled his eyes, "But his insistence that Regina's evil might have a bit of truth to it."

"She's a huge bitch but," Emma grew uncomfortable, "You think she would do something like this?"

"How well do any of us really knew Regina?"

"You've been sleeping with her! I'm sure you know her better than any of us."

Graham's face turned to bright red, and Emma instantly regretted her statement. "I-I, well yeah. But we haven't been together in weeks, I swear."

"Oh." Emma noted.

"Even we were together, I didn't feel like I really knew Regina. She's always been pretty cold and distant." Graham confessed, clearly embarrassed but feeling that he had to explain himself. "I don't even really know why I was with so long. It became a habit, I guess."

The last thing Emma wanted to talk about was Graham's relationship with Regina, so she changed the subject. "It's a shame this didn't come up before Flora's arraignment. If we had another suspect to pin this on, I'm sure she would have gotten bail."

"What makes you certain this evidence won't incriminate her?" Graham challenged, with no real heat in his tone. He was just relieved they weren't talking about Regina anymore.

"She's got an alibi," Emma stated confidently.

Graham noted, "We still have to check those out and cross examine witness."

"Because it's the rule," Emma shrugged, "But as long as the DA doesn't pull any shit, she should be out of here in no time."

* * *

Had it been anyone else, Killian would have felt bad about breaking in, but this was Rumpelstiltskin.

In the nearly three decades he'd spent roaming America, he'd spent much of time on the wrong side of the law. While he wasn't exactly proud of that, it did give him certain special skills. Namely breaking and entering. Rumpelstiltskin had a primitive security system that took no time at all to hack, and since he was known to divide his time between the pawn shop, the hospital, and the court case, Killian didn't worry that he'd been home anytime soon. The fact that he lives a way out of town far from possible witnesses was an added bonus.

His new partner didn't ask how he'd gotten so good at entering people's homes unannounced, and for that he felt grateful. After Killian disabled the alarms, Priscilla went right to work scouring the Dark One's house for traces of magic or magical items. For their endeavor the duo took care to minimize signs of their presence. They wore gloves to make sure they didn't leave prints and skullcaps to make sure they didn't leave traces of hair lying around.

Killian had never had any special interest in magic, so he just brought every object that caught his interest to Priscilla. After nearly two hours meticulously combing through Rumpelstiltskin's belongings, Priscilla seemed convinced that they wouldn't find anything incriminating.

"If he's got any magical items, he's good at hiding them," she sighed.

Determined not to give up, Killian interjected, "We haven't checked the basement yet."

Priscilla did not look convinced, but she nodded. Killian picked the lock on the basement door. After a few tense minutes, they were in. Priscilla turned on her flashlight, waving along the walls to find the light switch. When she turned it on, she and Killian gazed around the room for a minute. Rumpelstiltskin kept his basement incredibly neat and well air-conditioned, although it lacked any decorations. The walls were stark white and lined with plain oak cabinets. A old wooden spinning wheel rested in one corner, and a plain cot in another. There was a table in the back loaded with neatly arranged metal and wooden tool that Killian didn't recognize. They certainly weren't the ordinary tools used around the house.

"We found it," Priscilla exclaimed. She pushed her flashlight into Killian hands and ran to the cabinets. Opening them at all once and rifling through their contents, a satisfied smile grew on her face. "Toadstool, nightshade, Duke's blood," she breathed, "He's got quite a collection."

Killian came over. The function of these items flew over his head, but not their significance. "The bastard's awake." His suspicions were confirmed. If Rumpelstiltskin knew about magic, he went right to the top of their suspect list.

"I think he was trying to silence me." Priscilla mused, echoing Killian's thoughts. "That's my own fault. I shouldn't have been so open about what I knew, but I think I liked the attention."

"Everyone called you crazy," Killian noted.

She shrugged, "It was better than being locked away in my house, forgotten and alone. But it got me locked away in a difference sense."

"Well we can't exactly turn this into the police as evidence, especially not with how we got it."

"We don't have to," Priscilla answered serenely. "Our focus is on breaking the curse. Justice will follow."

"Since we know the Crocodile has magic and likely kidnapped you, we should interrogate him and figure out how to break it."

Priscilla looked at him like he was the mad one, "That is a horrible plan. Rumpelstiltskin has endured torture before; he can take a lot of punishment before he breaks. And if he has magic, he may be able to use it against us before we get anything out of him. Like I said, it's not wise to show your cards too soon."

"You know a lot about him?" Killian narrowed his eyes.

She replied candidly, "I used to work for him."

"Why would you do something like that?"

"Because I was selfish and money-hungry and didn't care how my actions affected other people," Priscilla confessed. "That was before I had Grace. Before I...I'll tell you another time."

Killian frowned, but decided not to press the issue. "Regardless, we have to do something about Rumpelstiltskin. He might have the key to breaking the curse."

"If he's got this much in this home, he's probably got a lot more in his pawn shop."

"Fancy more breaking and entering?" Killian asked with a raised eyebrow.

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin felt exhausted as he walked into Granny's that evening. He's just finished filing another appeal in his case against the Thorne family, hoping that would at least buy him more time before they got full control over Belle's medical care. She was living on borrowed time, and he was letting her die.

When he'd come up with this plan, he assumed he'd get Emma Swan to break the curse in no time, wake up Belle, and find his son. But Emma had turned out to be the worst possible person to include in the curse's loophole. He knew people in this world - at least this part of this world - stopped believing in magic by the time they were adults, but Emma's refusal to believe bordered on inhuman. There was abnormal about this case, something he was missing.

Could Regina have had a hand in it? No, he would have caught of anything scheme she tried to implement while he was awake, and only a day separated Emma's arrival from his awakening. Regina couldn't have done something to her in only twenty-four hours to permanently ensure Emma never believed in magic.

Perhaps the answer laid with Henry Mills book. Regina's son at been a curiosity to him since he woke up. At first he assumed the boy was some lad from the Enchanted Forest Regina had take on as her child, but then he heard rumors that the boy believed in magic, that he had a book full of strange fairy tales. Of course, getting close to Henry was easier said that done. Regina kept on closer eye on that boy than was normal or probably healthy.

As he took his order, he noticed two figures slipping out the front door from the corner of his eyes. Jones and Jefferson. Rumpelstiltskin barely noticed that the waitress handed him the receipt. He snapped himself back to the present.

Emma Swan walked into Granny's. Her body language tensed when she saw him, but she pretended to be nonchalant.

"Ms. Swan," Rumpelstiltskin greeted politely.

"Mr. Gold," Emma replied. She ordered dinner for herself and her family, then sat on the booth next to him to wait for it. "So, how's Belle's case going."

"It's going," Rumpelstiltskin sighed.

Emma looked guilty. "I wish there was more I could do to help. Even if..."

Even if I think you're creepy, she didn't say.

"I wish I knew what to tell you," Rumpelstiltskin stated. A hysterical laugh hid behind his mouth. "It's my fault, really. Belle's condition, Regina, you being here."

Emma narrowed her eyes, "What do you mean by that?"

"Ignore me," Rumpelstiltskin waved her off. He took his order, and gave Emma a parting nod as he walked away, taking in the surprised, suspicious look on her face.

Spiking Emma's tea with manticore venom had not produced the expected results. It should have given her visions of the past so strong and unmistakable that she finally understood the magic was real, visions of Regina casting the curse and the explanation of how to break it. Instead, he'd heard around town that she has experienced terrying nightmares so horrible that she had trouble sleeping for months. Well, he really botched that, hadn't he? Or maybe the manticore wasn't working as intended because some other magic was interfering with it. At any rate, Rumpelstiltskin didn't know what was wrong with Emma Swan and he was running out of time to figure out what.

* * *

Aurora, Mulan and Ah Ping felt crushing disappointment when they finally reached Oswyna. From the stories Aurora head from her neighbors, the hushed whispers over fireplaces and in on fields at dusk, she expected something more...sinister. Oswyna was pretty. The wide, clean streets were all aligned in a neat grid. All the buildings were made of a whitewashed brick with pale blue roofs and window shutters. In some places, freshly washed laundry hung from wire across windows. Few people roamed the streets, mostly merchants and common laborers. They didn't see any children running around, which was odd, but Mulan overhead a baby cry from an upstairs window.

As they walked through the city looking for a witch who could give them the tools to return to Mulan and Ah Ping's realm, and hopefully find out what happened to their village, an elderly woman walked up to them. She stood tall and straight despite her age. Her skin with paper white and filled with wrinkles, with a long, beaky nose in its center. Her stark white hair fell down her back in long, thick braid. She smiled, showing off too-straight, too-white teeth. The only color in her face was in her eyes, which were dark grey and hard as iron.

"I suppose you're here because you need help from a sorcerer," she addressed them in a strong, clear voice with a heavy Slavic accident. "You're in luck."

Mulan immediately distrusted this stranger. "Yes, and we can find one on our own."

The strange woman cocked her head, "I doubt that. My name is Baba Yaga. May I have your names?"

"No!" Aurora blurted out. Having been raised by fairies, she knew to be careful about giving out one's name to a fairy. "You may not _have_ our names, but we are willing to tell you our names."

Baba Yaga's smile vanished, replaced by a look of annoyance. "Very well," she grumbled.

Though Mulan and Ah Ping were rather confused by this exchange, Aurora's suspicious were confirmed. If you gave a fairy your name they would take, like a possession, and use it to control. If you told a fairy your name, that was something different. "My name is Aurora, and these are my companions, Mulan and Ah Ping."

"And what brings you to the city of sorcerers?"

"My brother and I are looking for a way back to our realm," Mulan explained. "We have to find our family."

"And we don't need your help," Aurora added forcefully.

Baba Yaga glared at them down her long nose, "So rude. This is why no one likes country folk." She walked past them with a determined gait, but the trio was just relieved that she was gone.

Aurora turned to the others, "We have to be careful while we're here. Don't talk to anyone and don't let anyone know where we're staying."

With that disturbing encounter in mind, they found an inn to stay in so they could rest and begin their search in the morning.


	32. Courthouses and Birdhouses

It was one of the rare days Ruby had time off from work. Since Ella had been born, she and Ashley had been working themselves to the bone trying to provide for her. In just a few months they'd have enough to make enough to get their own apartment and get Ella out of the tiny room Granny had let her and Ashley live in rent-free. Teddy had been godsend. He watched Ella several times a weeks and brought her back to the inn while he was coming into town for his shifts. Ella was with him so often, it sometimes felt like the three of them were co-parenting.

That morning before Ashley woke up, Ruby got up to get Ella ready for the day. It was still before dawn when the familiar sound of Teddy's old truck came up Main Street. Ruby reflexively smiled when she heard it. Teddy had unexpectedly become a big part of her life and she shouldn't have it any other way. She bundled Ella up in her little coat, the white one with little blue birdhouses printed on it, placed her in her car seat. Ruby stepped out into the cool morning air as the truck stopped in front of the diner.

"Morning." Teddy greeted cheerfully as he hopped out of the truck. He had washed his hands, but fresh grease and sea salt stained his clothes. Ruby had long since gotten used to the scent of fish and metal that clung to him, to the point that she barely noticed it anymore. The morning fog curled around their ankles as they met in front of the diner.

"Hey Teddy," Ruby greeted him with a smile.

He stooped over to greet Ella in her car seat, "Good morning Princess."

Ruby watched them affectionately. "You know you don't have to take her. It's my day off, and you just finished a long shift."

"Don't worry about Ruby," Teddy replied as he stood to his full height, "My mom and my aunt will be really upset if they have to go another day without seeing her."

Ella began squealing happily, as if she was excited to see Teddy's family too and wanted to let them know. Ruby and Teddy went over to his truck and strapped Ella's car seat into the backseat. She tossed the diaper bag into the next seat.

Without really thinking about it, Ruby noted, "You know, I don't think I've ever met your family in person. I mean, your mom has Ashley's number and texts her if there's anything wrong with Ella, but that's it."

Teddy looked surprised, "I don't realize that was important to you."

Ruby's face grew warm, "It's not, I mean it's not _not_ important. I just meant, like, we're all involved in taking care of Ella. It would just kind of make sense. You don't have to introduce us, if you don't what to, I don't want you to feel obligated-"

"No it's fine," Teddy assured. "Um, yeah, I'll let them know when I get home and we can plan something."

"Sounds good," Ruby replied weakly. Teddy gave her casual salute as he hopped back into his drove and drove off with the little girl they both secretly thought of as their own.

* * *

Emma walked into the courthouse after another sleepless night. Today Flora would have a preliminary hearing, where the judge would decide whether there was enough evidence against her to take the case to trial. She caught up to David at the courthouse steps. If Emma felt tired, David look exhausted, but he still smiled at her as she approached.

"You ready?" she asked.

"Born ready," David replied. "Flora's got nothing to worry about."

They soon parted ways as David went to a private room to give Flora some last minute advice. Meanwhile, Emma took a seat in the courtroom near the front, waiting for the proceedings to begin. Time crept on. Eventually the prosecutor, Albert Spencer, walked in with his team, Regina walking behind them with a smug smile on her face.

"Good morning Miss Swan," Regina greeted cheerful. Too cheerful.

Emma felt suspicious, but she just smiled tightly and nodded. When she looked at the prosecution, what she saw made her stomach flip. She knew Dawn Thorne was Albert Spencer's paralegal. David had explained to her why they couldn't have her as a character witness - its was a massive conflict of interest. But knowing and seeing were different things. It wasn't like Dawn had much of a choice, Emma understood, but it felt incredibly ironic and unfair that Dawn's job demanded she try to get her own neighbor, the woman whose brother she had cared for, behind bars.

Graham entered a few minutes later, his face carrying a distant expression. He gave Emma clipped "Hello" as he took the seat next to her.

"You okay?" Emma asked.

"Just ready to get this over with," he groaned.

"Ah," Emma snorted. "Can't blame you."

Finally, David and Flora entered the courtroom. Someone had given a smart grey pantsuit to wear and she wore her hair in a severe bun. She had even put on a little makeup, but not enough to look like she trying to look flashy. Flora shot Emma a nervous smile as she walked to her seat.

Last to arrive was Priscilla, to Emma's surprise. She was growing stronger by the day and didn't rely on her cane nearly as often, but she leaned on someone - on Killian's arm. He had been leaning his head down to whisper in her ear as they walked in, but when he looked up, Emma knew at once it was face burned when she realized Priscilla had come with Killian of all people.

When they judge arrived, they all stood their feet.

Emma tried to pay attention to the proceedings, but it was really tedious and involved a lot of fancy legal terms she couldn't understood even if she tried. Her mind drifted to Henry, and what he said about his mother being evil. Even Graham had suspected that Regina might have had something to do with Priscilla's disappearance. Yes, Regina was an incredibly unpleasant person, a bully and a tyrant, but was she capable of true evil? Emma felt her skin break out in a cold sweat as the horrible possibility her like a train. Every bad that happened to Storybrooke seemed to trace back to Regina. Why not that?

Suddenly the room seemed to hot, it became to hot to breath. Emma glanced in Regina's direction. She looked nonchalant, even a little smug. Emma's stomach hurt.

"Excuse me," she whispered to Graham as she stood up and raced out of the courtroom. Someone called out "Miss Swan!" behind her, but Emma barely heard it. Outside, she had to get outside. She ran down the corridor feeling incredibly dizzy, like the floor had somehow tilted. When she burst out the front door the cool, sweet spring air flooded into her lungs. Emma took several heavy, gasping breathes. What was wrong with her? A sharp pain seized her gut. Then, before she had time to think about it, a flood of vomit burst from her mouth.

She somehow ended up on her hands and knees on the courthouse steps as some vile orange-red fluid erupted from her throat. The stench only made her want to throw up more. What the hell was that? God, was she vomiting blood? No, blood wasn't that shade of red and the smell was all wrong. She'd had waffles for breakfast. What the hell had been inside her?

After what felt for ages, Emma's stomach settled. She spat the remains of the fluid out of her mouth and into the oozing mess in front of her. She was lucky she hadn't gotten any on her clothes or shoes.

"Jesus Christ," Killian whistled behind her.

Emma didn't look back, embarrassed. "What are you doing here?"

"You left in such a rush, I came to check on you," Killian answered came around to face her, careful not to step in the mess she'd made. He pulled out a handkerchief for her. "What happen?"

"Fuck if I know," Emma admitted. "I don't think anyone would mind if I went home early today."

Killian looked concerned, "Are you sure you shouldn't go to the hospital? That doesn't look normal. Doesn't smell normal either."

"I feel fine, Killian," Emma insisted, feeling even more embarrassed having to talk about her freaking vomit with him, of all people. "Whatever came over me has passed." He didn't seem convinced, but he didn't argue with her. Emma folded over his handkerchief so that the vomit stain was hidden. "Thanks," she said as she gave it back to him."

"It's nothing. I'll let everyone know that you're not feeling well. Hope you get better," Killian replied. He gave her a short nod before returning inside.

Emma forced herself not to turn around and watch him retreat back to the courtroom. She felt deeply embarrassed by what just happened, not to mention her feelings for Killian were all over the place. Still...it was rather sweet of him to come out to check up on her. She missed their friendship. Why had she started avoided him some silly theory about fairy tales. They could still hang out.

Unless he was busy spending time with Priscilla, Emma thought darkly. Then she rebuked herself for being so upset. Priscilla was a sweet girl who'd been through a lot already. It wasn't her fault Emma had blown her chance with Killian. Sure, Emma could stay friends with Killian and Priscilla, even if they were dating. It would be awkward, but she could make it work.

As Emma walked to her car, careful to avoid her mess, she laughed internally at the absurdity of her situation. She'd never tried to particularly hard to keep friends, at least not since she parted ways with Lily Page when she was a teen. Sometimes she didn't recognized herself; she's changed to much since coming to Storybrooke. And she owed it all to Henry.

Oh, Henry. Emma could picture his face when he had come to her door all those months ago, confident and wide-eyed and hopeful. From her car, she glanced once more at the courthouse. If Regina was inside busy with the case and they all expected her to go home...

Before she could talk herself out of it, Emma hit the gas and drove down through Storybrooke. The streets were mostly empty by now. Emma parked her car in its usual spot by the apartment she shared with Mary, but instead of going home, she walked back into town. Heart fluttering in her throat, she walked up to the Mayor's Mansion and knocked on the front door. She looked over her shoulder, feeling very much little girl afraid to get caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Hello?" Henry seemed confused for a minute, then his face lit up when he realized it was her. "Emma!"

She pulled him into deep hug, then went in a shut the door.

"What are you doing here?" he asked excitedly. "I thought you suppose to be at the trial."

"I-I don't know. I was supposed to be, but I felt like I was suppose to be here instead." Emma couldn't keep the smile off her face as she looked at Henry. She had missed him so much, it was like a gaping hole in her chest had just been filled. "Well, your mom is at the courthouse and I knew we'd have a little time together with her getting in the way, so I just came here. I've missed you."

Henry put his arms around her midsection, "I missed you too. I was starting to worry you didn't like me anymore."

"What?" Emma frowned, looking down at him. "Why would you think that? You know you're mother's been keeping us apart."

"I know," Henry admitted sheepishly, "But you just seemed so much happier with Ava and Nicky."

His comment sent a knife into Emma's throat. Henry was jealous of the twins? "Henry, you know what I have with the twins is special, but so is what I have with you. You're the one who brought me to Storybrooke. Thanks to you I have a home and a family. I'm a different person in all the best ways. Thank you for bringing me here."

Henry's smile seemed too wide for his face. He wiped his eyes with the back of the hand as he croaked, "Thank _you_ for coming."

* * *

Mr. Gold had arrived at the courthouse to see Miss Swan getting in her car and leaving despite the early hour. Surely Miss Xue's preliminary hearing couldn't have been that short? As he walked up the steps, a foul smell assaulted his nostrils. A splash of a putrid orange-red liquid stained the floor. A slow, satisfied smile crept onto his face and he looked up and saw Miss Swan's yellow bug turn a corner and disappear.

So, the manitcore venom had done its job after all.

* * *

They were sitting on Henry's bed, flipping through Henry's storybook. For the first time, Emma noticed that some of the illustrations looked like the people in town. The Evil Queen in the book was a dead-ringer for Regina, in both looks and mannerism, and she'd be lying if she said there was nothing similar about Mary and Snow White, Ruby and Rose Red, or David and Charming. It's no wonder Henry thought the characters had come to life. How had she not noticed this before?

"Hey, Henry," Emma paused on a rather graphic illustration of Snow and Charming finding their seven dwarve friends dead in a field, killed by one of the Evil Queen's spells. She knew later in the story that, with the help of the Blue Fairy, their souls were reformed into seven baby boys that Snow and Charming had been quick to adopt, but it was still disturbing. "You said Mary gave you this book? Did she tell you where she got it."

"She said she found while cleaning," Henry replied. He leaned in close to study the bloody picture, so Emma flipped through the pages. It landed on a different picture, Lady Cora, the Evil Queen's arguably more evil mother, handing her illegitimate grandson to a peasant couple against her daughter's wish. Something about that image made Emma's stomach twist and her mouth run dry. She'd already read all these before, so why was this book bothering her so much all of a sudden?

"Yeah, that's what she told me too," Emma nodded, "I'll have to ask her about it later."

"Why are you interested in the book now?" Henry asked.

Emma looked into his eyes, then replied honestly. "I feel like I'm missing something, like I wasn't paying enough attention last time."

Henry gave her a hopeful look that clearly said he wanted to admit magic might be real. Emma responded with a stern look that told him not to even suggest it.

He shrugged, "I think you should re-read the whole thing, just in case. You never know what you might find."

"I will," Emma sighed with mock annoyance. She then gave him a genuine smile. "It's been great spending time with you again Henry. I promise, I won't let Regina get between us again. We'll work something out, okay?"

* * *

"Mommy, I'm done!" Charlie called.

Snow looked up from where she was helping Tommy paint his birdhouse. She and Charming had spending so much time building up the castles defenses in case Regina attacked, they hadn't gotten to spend much time with their children. Snow smiled fondly at her youngest son. She had seven, all of them close in age: Leopold Jr, Thomas, Albert, William, John, and Charles.

Charlie's birdhouse was painted bright yellow and red and orange. The coat of paint was uneven in spots, but it was still lovely. Inside one of the summer palace's several large greenhouses, the royal family spent some time together. The sun shone brightly through the glass walls and roof; so bright and clear they might as well have been outside. Lush green plants surrounded them while flowers filled the air with sweetness. Snow, Charming, and the princes sat at long table in the middle of the greenhouse with half-finished birdhouses and arts supplies littered all over it. They were all dressed casually and barefoot; Snow wore her long, black hair in a loose, messy braid.

"It's beautiful sweetheart," Snow told him. He beamed at her praise, with a splash of orange paint splattered across his dimpled cheek. Beside him, Tommy was adding yellow polka dots to his purple birdhouse while Al and Willy painted theirs a riot of multicolored stripes. Charming sat at the other end of the table trying to resolve an argument between Leo and Johnny. Apparently Johnny had deliberately gotten purple paint in his brother's hair. Though he vehemently denied it, the mischievous smile on his face said otherwise. Leo was decidedly less amused.

It had been too long since they'd gotten to do something like this as a family. Sometimes, Snow decided, it was nice to stop being a queen and just be a mother.

Ella walked into the greenhouse, the sound of her footsteps muffled by the hard-packed dirt floor. When Snow noticed her, she instantly knew something was wrong. Despite the almost-convincing smile on her face - no doubt only in place for the children's sake - her eyes were filled with fear and panic. Her face was abnormally pale and she clutched a handkerchief so tightly her knuckles were almost white.

The children seemed to notice that something wasn't right because they grew quieter. Even Leo and Johnny had stopped fighting.

"Hello," Ella said in a strained voice. "Snow, there's someone inside who came to see you and Ruby. She's with him right now."

Worry struck Snow's heart. "Charming and I will be there in a second."

"Just you and Ruby," Ella added. "Those were his exact words. And it can't wait."

* * *

Emma woke up the next morning confused. Something felt off that entire morning, but she couldn't place it. As she got breakfast ready, Mary came out of her room, her short, blond hair ruffled from sleep.

"Hey, sleep well?" Emma greeted as she placed two slices of bread in the toaster.

"Like a baby," Mary replied. "Nightmares again?"

Emma froze. That was it! "No..." she whispered.

"No?" Mary looked as surprised as Emma felt.

"No. I slept perfectly fine last night," Emma gasped. "I didn't have a single nightmare."


End file.
